51 Indicted in Nationwide Black-Market Marijuana Conspiracy; at Least 29 Defendants From China, About 61,000 Plants Seized
On April 27, 2026, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Oklahoma announced the unsealing of a federal indictment charging 51 defendants across 67 counts for their roles in a conspiracy to manufacture black-market marijuana in Oklahoma and distribute it throughout the United States. U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester said at least 29 of the defendants are from China, some of them lawful permanent residents.
A federal grand jury returned the indictment on April 21. In a coordinated takedown late the previous week, more than 100 law enforcement personnel executed arrests across nine states: Oklahoma, Texas, New York, North Carolina, Florida, Michigan, Kansas, Mississippi, and California. Of the 51 indicted targets, 28 have been arrested and 23 remain fugitives. Searches under 22 warrants seized approximately 61,000 marijuana plants and 550 kilograms of processed marijuana, and 13 additional non-citizens were turned over to immigration officials.
According to the indictment, from March 2025 through April 2026 a network of grow owners, brokers, transporters, and distributors worked together: grow owners manufactured massive quantities of marijuana, brokers coordinated shipments to stash houses and customers, and proceeds were moved as bulk cash or disguised through businesses. Grows in Stillwater, Hennessey, and Paden are alleged to have diverted marijuana into the illicit market.
The indictment identifies Li Shun Chen, 53, and Ying Wang, 45, both of Oklahoma City, as two of the main conspirators, whose calls law enforcement intercepted. It also seeks forfeiture of multiple properties across Oklahoma alleged to have been used in, or to represent proceeds of, the conspiracy.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control under the Homeland Security Task Force, with the FBI, ATF, IRS Criminal Investigation, and many other agencies taking part. The U.S. Attorney's Office reminded the public that the charges are merely allegations and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Source: U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Oklahoma
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：一处非法大麻种植点的大麻植株（资料照片）。公共领域，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Marijuana plants at an illegal grow site (file photo). Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
