FEDS SWEEP: Alleged Marijuana Grows Near Fontana, Riverside, Ten Arrested

Federal and state law enforcement arrested 10 people Wednesday morning and accused them of participating in a "wide-ranging drug conspiracy" that ran marijuana grow houses in San Bernardino, Riverside and Los Angeles counties, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Search warrants were executed March 20 at locations in Rancho Cucamonga, Chino, Fontana, Eastvale, Corona, Riverside, Diamond Bar, El Monte, Arcadia, Los Angeles, Monterey Park, Walnut and Temple City, federal officials said.

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, Fontana Police Department, and other agencies searched 26 locations, including 15 alleged grow houses, Justice Department officials said.

Authorities seized more than $250,000 in cash, seven guns, including an assault rifle, and more than 8,000 marijuana plants, according to a statement released Wednesday afternoon.

The DEA released photos from alleged grow houses on Eastern Shore Drive and Kassell Road in Eastvale, between Fontana and Norco. The Eastern Shore Drive location contained more than 800 marijuana plants and about six pounds of harvested marijuana, and the Kassell Road location contained more than 1,450 marijuana plants, according to the DEA.

A 124-page affidavit in support of a criminal complaint describes an alleged "narcotics trafficking ring" led by Arcadia resident Raymond Lam.

"The drug trafficking organization purchased or leased single-family residences, which were converted to indoor farms with the sole purpose of growing marijuana," Department of Justice officials said.

"Each house contained industrial-size marijuana growing operations that contained, on average, 1,000 to 2,000 marijuana plants."

The marijuana grow houses had "identical arrangements" that included hydroponic growing equipment and "stolen electricity obtained through sophisticated bypasses of utility meters," federal officials said.

After the marijuana was harvested, it was sold throughout California and across the United States.

A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Riverside identified the 10 defendants arrested Wednesday morning as:

- Raymond A. Lam, who also used the name "Nam A. Lam," 42, of Arcadia, accused of being the overall leader of the drug trafficking organization and overseeing the acquisition of residences that were converted into full-scale, industrial-type marijuana grows.

- Augustine Bazan Camacho, 41, of Pomona, allegedly a veteran "plant tender" who was responsible for maintaining many of the grow houses.

- Simon Lam, 32, of Arcadia.

- Ken Ho, also known as "Ken Lam," 33, of Arcadia.

- San S. Voong, also known as "Chen Sheng Wang," 35, of Arcadia.

- Phieu Tran, 35, of El Monte.

- Thanh Van Phu, 33, of El Monte.

- Luc Kai Phoung, who is also known as "Wong Fong," "Al Fong" and "Na Na," 50, of Rosemead, who allegedly built the electrical and utility meter by-pass systems used at the grow houses.

- Li Ya Si, 42, of Temple City.

- Steven Huytu Lam, 52, of Walnut.

The 10 defendants were expected to make initial court appearances Wednesday afternoon in federal court in Riverside.

An 11th defendant named in the criminal complaint - Andy Tran, who used several aliases, including "Long Kim Tank," 39, of Monterey Park, remained at large, federal officials said.

According to the complaint, agents with the DEA and officers with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department executed a search warrant on Cedar Creek Road in Eastvale in February 2012, and "discovered a residence that had been completely converted into a sophisticated marijuana grow house," Department of Justice officials said.

"Inside the residence, investigators found Camacho hiding under a hydroponic bin on the second floor of the residence. During the search, they seized more than 1,800 marijuana plants and more than 50 pounds of processed marijuana."

In another search on Bluebell Street in Eastvale in November 2012, authorities found an entire residence converted into an industrial-sized marijuana grow with 857 marijuana plants. About 43 pounds of marijuana were found inside the residence, federal officials said.

"Two months ago, during a search of a residence on Village Meadow in Riverside, authorities discovered another industrial-sized marijuana grow that had 576 marijuana plants," Department of Justice officials said.

On the morning of March 20, search warrants were executed in Rancho Cucamonga, Chino, Fontana, Eastvale, Corona, Riverside, Diamond Bar, El Monte, Arcadia, Los Angeles, Monterey Park, Walnut and Temple City, federal officials said.

Agencies that took part in the multi-county sweep Wednesday morning included police from Riverside, El Monte, Fontana, Chino, Arcadia, and Los Angeles, the IRS, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI.

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