SAVOY, Mass. (WWLP) – Two New York men were found guilty of marijuana trafficking in connection to the discovery of more than 1,400 marijuana plants inside a Berkshire County home using an excessive amount of electricity.
Multi-million dollar illegal marijuana growing operation discovered in the Berkshires According to the Berkshire District Attorney’s Office, on Monday 32-year-old Yebin Mai of Staten Island, New York was found guilty of marijuana trafficking in 100 pounds or more but less than 2,000 pounds and witness intimidation and 52-year-old Dem Wu also of Staten Island was found guilty of marijuana trafficking in 100 pounds or more but less than 2,000 pounds.
On July 30, 2020, two Eversource linemen were attempting to fix an electrical problem on Jackson Road in Savoy when they were confronted by Mai from a nearby home. Mai spoke a limited amount of English and the Eversource linemen were unable to understand him. When the workers told Mai they needed to turn off his power for repairs and conduct a safety check on the home’s electric meter, he became agitated and handed them an envelope filled with $600.
The linemen tried to give it back to Mai but he refused. That’s when they left the property and called the State Police. A trooper and an Eversource supervisor arrived as Mai, Wu and another passenger were attempting to leave in a pickup truck with New York plates. However, the trooper stopped them so that crews could continue their inspection of the home.
The inspection found four separate meters poorly constructed on the side of the home, melted wires, evidence of a small fire, sounds of fans inside and the smell of fresh grown marijuana. Eversource also reported that the monthly electric bill of the home was $10,000, much higher than the average homeowner’s bill.
Mai and Wu were questioned but eventually allowed to leave. The next day, troopers and DEA agents performed a search warrant on the home and found the following inside:
- 1,410 marijuana plants weighing a total of 560 pounds
- Growing supplies, hydroponic chemicals and cultivation tools
- Water troughs and pumps
- Florescent growing lights
- Sleeping and cooking areas for people living inside
- Documents with identifying information of Mai and Wu
District Attorney Timothy Shugrue stated, “People who live in remote, smaller towns in the Berkshires often do so to be surrounded by nature and privacy. To have a marijuana grow operation in a small town like Savory, with unsuspecting neighbors, can feel scary and threatening. Law enforcement’s swift actions and investigation allowed for a peaceful resolution to shut down the illegal drug operation.”
Before their trial, former DA Andrea Harrington offered the men a plea deal but they refused. They later then requested to accept the plea deal but Shugrue had become the new District Attorney and determined the plea deal with not sufficient enough for the seriousness of their crimes and instead moved forward with the trial.
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