State and local law enforcement served a search warrant at a large marijuana growing operation in Ardmore on Tuesday.
ARDMORE, Okla. (KFOR) - State and local law enforcement served a search warrant at a large marijuana growing operation in Ardmore on Tuesday.
According to the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the warrant was served as part of an ongoing investigation into out-of-state black market marijuana trafficking. Authorities responded to the area of Smokey Ridge Road in Ardmore, a location that has been under investigation since November 2023.
“During the investigation, OBN Agents identified people going to the farm and illegally purchasing more than 50 pounds of marijuana per visit. Additionally, we determined the operators of this marijuana farm were loading as much as 1,000 pounds of marijuana at a time into refrigerated semi-trucks that would transport the product to the black market in places such as New York City, Chicago, and parts of Florida." said OBN Spokesman Mark Woodward.
OBN, the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority (OMMA), the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office and the Carter County Sheriff's Office were involved in the bust. The search led to 106,063 marijuana plants, 1,120 pounds of processed marijuana and two arrests.
Officials say 34-year-old Wen Bin Haung and 37-year-old Wen Zhang Huang were taken into custody and are facing multiple charges, including Aggravated Trafficking of Marijuana.
"Coordinated efforts with OBN, the Attorney General and local law enforcement are instrumental in removing illicit operators from the state's medical marijuana program. This case reinforces our commitment to creating a safe, well-regulated market where consumers can trust the products they purchase and where the only businesses that thrive are the ones that follow state law." added OMMA Executive Director Adria Berry
Partnerships between state and local agencies have led to a dramatic reduction of criminal organizations operating illegal farms in Oklahoma. OBN Registrations for growers dropped from 9,400 in 2021, to 6,400 in 2022, and now that number is down to about 3,000, OBN says.
“The Ardmore seizure is extremely significant, and it is indicative of the tremendous job that OBN has done combating Oklahoma’s proliferation of illegal drugs. I am proud that agents from my office assisted in this effort, and I am committed to continuing the valuable partnership with OBN that targets Chinese crime syndicates and Mexican drug cartels largely responsible for these illegal grow operations.” Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said.
