OKLAHOMA, USA — Oklahoma's Multi-County Grand Jury indicted six people on March 7 in connection to two large-scale seizures of marijuana, one of which resulted in the discovery of more than 77,000 pounds of untraceable and untagged marijuana plants.
The seizures were conducted by the Oklahoma Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) and other law enforcement agencies.
According to Attorney General Gentner Drummond, jurors indicted Paul Wayne Baxter, Beng Di Chan, Min Yong Chen, Zeng Cen Lau, and Chen Fu Lin for conspiracy to defraud the state in connection to a marijuana seizure in Pottawatomie County.
OCTF and Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA) agents served search warrants for six medical grow operations near Prague on Nov. 16, 2023. In addition to 77,362 pounds of marijuana plants, agents also found nearly 2,000 pounds of untraceable and untagged harvested marijuana and several firearms.
All five of those indicted for November's seizure are accused of submitting false information to the OMMA "about the true ownership of Cannabaxter Farms."
In the second case, Kangbin Lee was also indicted on March 7 in connection to a drug bust on Jan. 11 at Monster Farms in Muskogee. OMMA, the Muskogee County Sheriff's Office, the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office, and the Bixby Police Department assisted OCTF with the investigation, which led to the discovery of "an alleged half-million-dollar marijuana 'stash house' in Bixby."
Lee faces six felony counts including aggravated trafficking of a controlled dangerous substance in excess of 1,000 pounds of marijuana, manufacturing a controlled dangerous substance, trafficking of a controlled dangerous substance in excess of 25 pounds of marijuana, possession of an offensive weapon while in the commission of a felony, possession of proceeds from unlawful activity, and a pattern of criminal offenses.
Last week, the jury also indicted a Tulsa man in connection to one of the largest drug seizures in Oklahoma's history. The task force agents searched a Wagoner County business on Nov. 9, 2023, and reportedly found more than 72,000 pounds of black-market marijuana in a metal barn.
The attorney general announced on Feb. 29 that Bobby Hailey, 41, was arrested on one count of aggravated manufacturing of a controlled dangerous substance and one count of aggravated trafficking of a controlled dangerous substance.
The task force was assisted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), OMMA, the Wagoner County Sheriff's Office, Wagoner County Commissioners, and the Wagoner County Emergency Management office in the seizure.
Report from the Wagoner County seizure in November:
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