4 Chinese Nationals Arrested After Biggest Marijuana Growing Facility Busted in Georgia

Pierce County, GA: 4 Chinese nationals have been arrested after authorities busted a cannabis growing facility in Pierce County.

Collaboration between the Georgia Department of Agriculture and a sheriff’s office in South Georgia leads to one of the biggest drug busts in state history. Authorities discovered over 11,000 cannabis plants valued at millions of dollars.

The agriculture department became involved due to initial suspicions that it was a food manufacturing plant. They entered the location and discovered something unexpected – possibly one of the biggest indoor marijuana cultivation operations in the Southeast.

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Around 11,153 plants of marijuana were discovered in rural south Georgia marijuana growing facility, from seedling to full-grown and ready to harvest.

“It was a very sophisticated operation,” stated Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Tyler Harper.

“The street value was estimated to be $22.3 million,” stated Pierce County Sheriff Ramsey Bennett.

About a month ago, an investigation was initiated by the department and Pierce County Sheriff’s Office when an undercover deputy discovered that the facility was a fish farm. However, during the raid on Friday, it became evident that the location was merely a facade.

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Authorities apprehended three men and one woman, all of Chinese descent. The group allegedly initiated a marijuana-growing operation in Pierce County in 2022, investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in the facility.

“We discovered a sophisticated growing operation with advanced lighting, manual watering, and a tail water recovery system,” Bennett explained.

The sheriff mentioned that the department believes the final product was sent to another state and the suspects have connections ranging from New York City to Houston, potentially involved in a larger drug operation.

Four individuals are currently in custody without bail, with one of them being held for entering the country unlawfully. All individuals are facing charges related to possession, manufacturing, and trafficking.

The investigation is currently ongoing, with the sheriff’s office reporting the involvement of federal agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Agency.

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