AG Merrick Garland mum on reports illegal Chinese marijuana farms have sprouted throughout Maine

by WorldTribune Staff, November 10, 2023

Is Team Biden, including his family and Merrick Garland, benefiting from the illegal Chinese marijuana farms that have taken over much of rural Maine?

Given the attorney general’s silence on shocking reports of 270 suspected Chinese illegal marijuana grow operations in the state that are worth an estimated $4.37 billion and other questionable transactions linking the Bidens and the Chinese Communist Party, the question must be asked.

Illegal Chinese weed farms have taken over much of rural Maine, according to a DHS memo.

An unclassified memo from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that was obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation revealed the extent of the illegal grow farms.

The memo included a heat map showing that large areas of Maine are occupied by Chinese illegal marijuana grows. It suggested the profits generated by the weed farms are then sent to China. Local residents suspect the farms use illegal aliens as the labor force.

“The government is either incapable — or unwilling — to do anything about it,” The Maine Wire reported on Nov. 8.

Chinese nationals who either have resident status in the U.S. or asylum claims that prevent them from being removed from the country tend to operate such grows, a federal law enforcement source, who requested anonymity, told the Daily Caller.

“We think the Chinese are taking advantage of rural areas, like Maine, to produce marijuana to sell across state lines and funnel the profits back to China,” the federal law enforcement source said.

Maine’s congressional delegation called on the Department of Justice to shutter the operation, but Attorney General Merrick Garland did not respond in writing, according to The Maine Wire.

According to an unclassified memo from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) obtained by the Maine Wire:

The illicit grows are operated by Asian Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs).

The properties cover Somerset County, Penobscot County, Kennebec County, Franklin County, Androscoggin County, and Oxford County.

The sites were purchased over the past three years by single adults, primarily from New York and Massachusetts, using cash or financing arranged through a handful of mortgage companies.

Maine allows residents that are at least 21 years of age to grow as many as three mature plants and 12 immature plants for personal use, according to the state’s Office of Cannabis Policy.

Authorities in Bangor recently busted an illegal grow operation with 3,400 individual marijuana plants as well as 111 pounds of processed marijuana, according to WABI 5, a local news outlet.

“There are hundreds of these operations occurring throughout the state. It’s upsetting to those who live near these operations, and even those who are following Maine laws and procedures,” Penobscot County Sheriff Troy Morton, whose office was involved in the bust, told the Daily Caller.

Smugglers utilize Interstate 95 to transport contraband related from the grows, according to the memo:

“Based on location of the properties, it is assessed that I-95 is the main transport route for bulk cash, illegal narcotics, illegal aliens as this is the most desirable route throughout the state of Maine. I-95 begins in Miami, Florida, and ends near New Brunswick. This route enables smugglers through the many connecting routes which may allow access to many adjoining states.”

Former head of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Derek Maltz told the Daily Caller that, when Chinese criminal organizations are involved, there is often collaboration with Mexican cartels.

“They take the cash from the cartels in America, and they buy these properties and they do these investments with cash from the Mexican cartels in our own country. This is part of their laundering scheme,” Maltz said.

“So, not only are they providing this unbelievably important service to the Mexican cartels by picking up the cash and doing the money transfers over the banking apps and stuff like that, but they’re using the cash in America to buy land, to buy real estate, to buy property to invest in these grow operations,” Maltz added, noting that the operations are extremely profitable as they trade in an untaxed product.

“There’s no deterrence,” Maltz added. “Criminals are masters at taking advantage of the vulnerabilities.”

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