3 Used South Jersey Homes To Illegally Grow Weed: Prosecutor

BUENA, NJ — Three were charged after authorities discovered their Buena homes were being used as elaborate and illegal marijuana growing facilities, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said.

Hanzi Chen, 47, Suxia Li, 41, and Deng Huan Hong, 50, were charged with first degree possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute and first-degree maintaining a narcotics production facility on Sept. 16, authorities said.

Search warrants were executed by multiple agencies following a three-month investigation, authorities said.

The three residential properties had been converted into "sophisticated marijuana grow sites," the prosecutor's office said, with necessary lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, growth nutrients, water supply, and grow space.

In total, more than 4,000 marijuana plants were seized, with an estimated multi-million dollar retail value, authorities said. None of the three homes were licensed medical or recreational cannabis businesses, officials said. And all three charged were found to be living at the homes where the marijuana was being grown, according to authorities.

Chen, Li and Hong were taken to the Atlantic County Justice Facility where they sit pending detention hearings set for Sept. 25.

This case is being prosecuted by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office Gangs Guns and Narcotics Unit.