July 8: seven 
nationals were charged in connection with a multi-million-dollar conspiracy to cultivate and distribute marijuana across the Northeast that used interconnected grow houses concealed inside single-family properties in Massachusetts and Maine. nationals were smuggled into the US to work in these grow houses without access to their passports until they repaid their smuggling debts.
The following individuals have been indicted on one count each of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, as well as additional charges listed respectively:
• Jianxiong Chen, the ringleader, also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy, 11 counts of money laundering and one count of bringing aliens into the US
• Yuxiong Wu, also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy and four counts of money laundering
• Dinghui Li, also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy and two counts of money laundering
• Dechao Ma, also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy and two counts of money laundering
• Peng Lian Zhu, also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy
• Hongbin Wu
• Yanrong Zhu
The first six were arrested this morning. Yanrong Zhu remains a fugitive.
From ~Jan 2020, the defendants allegedly owned, operated or partnered with a network of interconnected grow houses in Massachusetts and Maine to cultivate and distribute kilogram-sized quantities of marijuana in bulk. Specifically, the enterprise allegedly operated grow houses in Braintree, Melrose and Greenfield among other locations in Massachusetts, Maine and elsewhere. The grow house operators maintained contact with each other through a list of marijuana cultivators and distributors from or with ties to China in the region called the “East Coast Contact List.”
Chen controlled several grow houses in Maine as well as a home in Braintree, Massachusetts, which served as a base of operations for the enterprise. Marijuana manufactured by the interconnected grow house network, as well as bulk cash from dealers, was allegedly delivered to and redistributed by Chen at this Braintree residence. It is further alleged that co-conspirators concealed the marijuana and cash they were delivering to Chen inside the engine compartments of their vehicles. During a search of the home in Oct 2024, over $270,000 in cash was allegedly recovered from the house and from a Porsche in the driveway, as well as several passports and other identification documents inside a safe.
Data extracted from Chen’s cell phone allegedly revealed that he helped smuggle nationals into the US — putting the aliens to work at one of the grow houses he controlled while keeping possession of their passports until they repaid him for the cost associated with smuggling them into the country.
Profits from the marijuana sales, which totaled in the millions of dollars, were used to purchase luxury homes, automobiles, jewelry and other items in Massachusetts including to expand the enterprise through the purchase of real estate.
Additional Oct 2024 searches of grow houses located in Braintree and Melrose where Ma and Zhu resided, respectively, allegedly resulted in the seizure of over 109 kg of marijuana, nearly $200,000 in cash and numerous luxury items including a gold Rolex watch with a $65,000 price tag still on it.
The enterprise conducted bulk cash transactions with operators located in the Eastern District of New York. In June 2023, Hongbin Wu and Yanrong Zhu were stopped by law enforcement after leaving a grow house in Greenfield, Massachusetts, during which $36,900 in cash was seized from the defendants.
justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/sev
nationals were charged in connection with a multi-million-dollar conspiracy to cultivate and distribute marijuana across the Northeast that used interconnected grow houses concealed inside single-family properties in Massachusetts and Maine. nationals were smuggled into the US to work in these grow houses without access to their passports until they repaid their smuggling debts.
The following individuals have been indicted on one count each of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, as well as additional charges listed respectively:
• Jianxiong Chen, the ringleader, also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy, 11 counts of money laundering and one count of bringing aliens into the US
• Yuxiong Wu, also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy and four counts of money laundering
• Dinghui Li, also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy and two counts of money laundering
• Dechao Ma, also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy and two counts of money laundering
• Peng Lian Zhu, also indicted on one count of money laundering conspiracy
• Hongbin Wu
• Yanrong Zhu
The first six were arrested this morning. Yanrong Zhu remains a fugitive.
From ~Jan 2020, the defendants allegedly owned, operated or partnered with a network of interconnected grow houses in Massachusetts and Maine to cultivate and distribute kilogram-sized quantities of marijuana in bulk. Specifically, the enterprise allegedly operated grow houses in Braintree, Melrose and Greenfield among other locations in Massachusetts, Maine and elsewhere. The grow house operators maintained contact with each other through a list of marijuana cultivators and distributors from or with ties to China in the region called the “East Coast Contact List.”
Chen controlled several grow houses in Maine as well as a home in Braintree, Massachusetts, which served as a base of operations for the enterprise. Marijuana manufactured by the interconnected grow house network, as well as bulk cash from dealers, was allegedly delivered to and redistributed by Chen at this Braintree residence. It is further alleged that co-conspirators concealed the marijuana and cash they were delivering to Chen inside the engine compartments of their vehicles. During a search of the home in Oct 2024, over $270,000 in cash was allegedly recovered from the house and from a Porsche in the driveway, as well as several passports and other identification documents inside a safe.
Data extracted from Chen’s cell phone allegedly revealed that he helped smuggle nationals into the US — putting the aliens to work at one of the grow houses he controlled while keeping possession of their passports until they repaid him for the cost associated with smuggling them into the country.
Profits from the marijuana sales, which totaled in the millions of dollars, were used to purchase luxury homes, automobiles, jewelry and other items in Massachusetts including to expand the enterprise through the purchase of real estate.
Additional Oct 2024 searches of grow houses located in Braintree and Melrose where Ma and Zhu resided, respectively, allegedly resulted in the seizure of over 109 kg of marijuana, nearly $200,000 in cash and numerous luxury items including a gold Rolex watch with a $65,000 price tag still on it.
The enterprise conducted bulk cash transactions with operators located in the Eastern District of New York. In June 2023, Hongbin Wu and Yanrong Zhu were stopped by law enforcement after leaving a grow house in Greenfield, Massachusetts, during which $36,900 in cash was seized from the defendants.
justice.gov/usao-ma/pr/sev