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veggie

Registered: 07/25/04
Posts: 17,538
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Four indicted in $10 million "largest ever" pot bust in New Jersey
#13467366 - 11/11/10 06:12 AM (13 years, 6 months ago) |
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Four indicted in $10 million "largest ever" pot bust in New Jersey November 10, 2010 - mycentraljersey.com
MONROE — A state grand jury has indicted four people on charges stemming from what authorities described as the largest indoor marijuana bust in New Jersey's history.
The indictment was handed up Wednesday, about nine months after law-enforcement officials seized $10 million worth of marijuana plants from five rented homes in Monroe and other parts of the state. As part of the bust, authorities said they took down a high-tech marijuana growing operation and a multinational drug trafficking ring.
The alleged leader, Tuan Ahn Dang, 36, of Port Monmouth, is charged with 23 counts in the indictment, including leading a narcotics trafficking network, according to the state Attorney General's Office. The crime carries a mandatory sentence of life in state prison.
In February, authorities executed 10 search warrants at homes in three counties to seize 3,370 growing plants and 130 pounds of harvested marijuana, state Attorney General Paula Dow said. Also seized was $66,000 in cash and indoor growing, lighting and irrigation equipment.
The largest seizure took place Feb. 17 at 558 Spotswood-Englishtown Road in Monroe, where more than 1,000 plants were found throughout the home, Dow said.
The investigation began earlier that day when Monroe police officer Thomas Lucasiewicz smelled burned marijuana coming from the chimney of the home. He and backup officers knocked at the front door and allegedly detected marijuana smoke inside when one of the defendants, Thu Nguyen, opened it.
The police arrested Nguyen after finding he was burning unusable parts of marijuana plants in a wood stove, Dow said. That set off a statewide sweep that culminated in searches at several homes over the next four days.
In all but one home, the electrical meter was bypassed to allegedly enable the growers to steal large amounts of electricity for their operations.
"This investigation showed that growing marijuana can be a highly organized activity, happening in the house next door, in any neighborhood," said Col. Rick Fuentes, superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. "The seamless coordination between law-enforcement agencies moved this case from a one-house indoor grow to a multi-town marijuana manufacturing enterprise."
Nguyen, 45, and a woman, Ngoc Bui, 35, of Old Bridge, are also charged in the indictment with maintaining or operating a drug production facility and a host of other counts.
A fourth defendant, Tin Pham, 42, of Monroe, was charged in a second indictment with theft for fraudulently obtaining $370,000 in mortgage loans to purchase a home used to grow marijuana.
If convicted, Dang would have to serve 25 years in state prison before becoming eligible for parole. He and the other defendants also face up to 20-year terms for several other counts.
The indictment was handed up to Superior Court Judge Linda R. Feinberg in Mercer County, who assigned the case to Ocean County. The New Jersey State Police, Monroe police and the Division of Criminal Justice were among the host of local, county and federal law-enforcement agencies that investigated.
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Green_T


Registered: 10/02/08
Posts: 4,042
Loc: UK
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Re: Four indicted in $10 million "largest ever" pot bust in New Jersey [Re: veggie]
#13467378 - 11/11/10 06:19 AM (13 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
The police arrested Nguyen after finding he was burning unusable parts of marijuana plants in a wood stove, Dow said. That set off a statewide sweep that culminated in searches at several homes over the next four days.

should've used it as mulch or something
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"I have sworn upon the altar of god eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man" - Thomas Jefferson Legalize Meth | Drug War Victims
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robbyberto
Water Boy


Registered: 05/11/06
Posts: 15,502
Loc: Netherlands
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Re: Four indicted in $10 million "largest ever" pot bust in New Jersey [Re: veggie]
#13467544 - 11/11/10 07:50 AM (13 years, 6 months ago) |
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Dang, he's fucked.
-------------------- “People say having kids is life changing, well that doesn’t necessarily mean a good thing, does it? I could take one of my legs off. That would change my life.” -Karl Pilkington
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Humility
Working on it



Registered: 10/07/08
Posts: 6,745
Last seen: 7 years, 2 months
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Re: Four indicted in $10 million "largest ever" pot bust in New Jersey [Re: robbyberto]
#13467576 - 11/11/10 08:00 AM (13 years, 6 months ago) |
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Seems like people do the stupidest shit.
How does this happen? Carelessness. Ps and Qs man.
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fapjack
Title



Registered: 07/26/07
Posts: 16,574
Loc: Central New Jersey
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Re: Four indicted in $10 million "largest ever" pot bust in New Jersey [Re: veggie]
#13467640 - 11/11/10 08:21 AM (13 years, 6 months ago) |
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This was down the street from my friends house, didn't effect the availability of marijuana in this area. They are gonna get fucked, NJ doesn't show any mercy towards growers, even if you have 10 plants you're gonna do at least 5 years.
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slewed
Stranger


Registered: 01/10/10
Posts: 19
Loc: North Carolina
Last seen: 8 years, 7 months
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Re: Four indicted in $10 million "largest ever" pot bust in New Jersey [Re: fapjack]
#13468275 - 11/11/10 11:20 AM (13 years, 6 months ago) |
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that shit sucks
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Joe Joe
2nd Level Meditator


Registered: 10/29/10
Posts: 190
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Re: Four indicted in $10 million "largest ever" pot bust in New Jersey [Re: veggie]
#13468468 - 11/11/10 12:07 PM (13 years, 6 months ago) |
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You can tell which one the idiot burning the plants was just by the picture. He just looks stupid.
Edited by Joe Joe (11/11/10 07:26 PM)
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jackdaniels
come here young man



Registered: 09/09/10
Posts: 77
Last seen: 12 years, 1 month
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Re: Four indicted in $10 million "largest ever" pot bust in New Jersey [Re: Joe Joe]
#13468667 - 11/11/10 12:56 PM (13 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
3,370 growing plants and 130 pounds of harvested marijuana
i want to cry.
-------------------- LSD FTW
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guest1
Mycena




Registered: 05/25/09
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Re: Four indicted in $10 million "largest ever" pot bust in New Jersey [Re: jackdaniels]
#13469189 - 11/11/10 02:47 PM (13 years, 6 months ago) |
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"largest bust" is their favorite 2 words to put in a drug bust. I read this every few weeks.
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