Feds say illegal pot operation funded with Chinese money

The Associated Press - thegrowthop.com Posted 5 years ago
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LOS ANGELES — Federal prosecutors say three men have been arrested on charges they took part in a scheme to illegally grow marijuana in Southern California homes purchased with money from China.

The U.S. attorney’s office said raids Thursday discovered more than 1,600 pot plants growing in seven homes in San Bernardino County.

Prosecutors say one of the men charged was a real estate agent who purchased the homes with money wired from China that hid the owners’ identities.

The two other suspects are accused of overseeing the cultivation of the plants.

U.S. Attorney Nick Hanna says authorities are seeing more foreign money being spent to grow marijuana in states where it’s been legalized and then shipped out of state.

Prosecutors say the pot was being sold in California and Nevada.