Nine people were arrested in connection with a massive marijuana growing and distribution ring worth more than $7 million, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.
Three more people are wanted in connection with the six raids, Hall sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Stephen Wilbanks said.
Minh Luong, 53, of Gainesville; Phi Ngoc Luong, 25, of Hoschton; Henry Nguyen, 48, of Gainesville; Hang Nguyen 53, of Duluth; Thao Phoung Nguyen, 26, of Hoschton; Nam Van Dao, 46, of Gainesville; Binh Van Hoang, 52, of Flowery Branch; Thu Thi Phan, 50, of Flowery Branch; and Trung Bui, 47, of Flowery Branch were arrested.
Arrest warrants were also issued for Flowery Brach residents Dung Nguyen, 47, Vinh To, 63, and Sen Thi Do, 46, Wilbanks said.
Over eight days in late September, law enforcement officials shut down the six “indoor grow operations” and seized more than 1,500 marijuana plants, Wilbanks said. More than 300 pounds of processed and/or packaged marijuana was confiscated.
Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch called the crimes “proof that large-scale drug networks are not just operating in Hall County, but are invading our quiet neighborhoods.”
Hall, Barrow and Jackson county officials worked with the Hall County Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad and partnered with local FBI and the Georgia National Guard Counter Drug Task Force.
“Among our biggest concerns in these types of cases is the fact that they occur in normal, residential neighborhoods and have the potential to bring violent crimes with them,” Couch said.
Those neighborhoods were in Gainesville, Hoschton, Flowery Branch and Braselton, Wilbanks said.
Know what's really going on with crime and public safety in your metro Atlanta community, including breaking news, trial coverage, trends and the latest on unsolved cases. Sign up for the AJC's crime and safety newsletter delivered weekly to your inbox.
In other news:
About the Author
