Las Vegas pot bust leads to 3 houses, 3 arrests
A marijuana bust that started at a single house Friday spread to a total three houses by early Saturday morning, according to the Las Vegas police narcotics task force.
Zhiwen Lin, 37, Jianguo Han, 63 and Bing Han, 36, were arrested and police found over 1,000 marijuana plants, guns and cash when they, along with a SWAT unit, served search warrants following an anonymous tip.
The number of plants found is “incredibly impressive,” Metro narcotics Lt. Laz Chavez said. Pot busts in the valley usually turn up between 50 and 150 plants.
The first search of a two-story home about 3 p.m. in the 9600 block of Grouse Grove Avenue, near the intersection of Grand Canyon Drive and Sunset Road, resulted in the arrest of Lin and Jianguo Han, who tried to escape, Chavez said.
Officials found 566 marijuana plants, over 5 pounds of ready-to-sell pot, 2 grams of Ecstasy and 3 grams of methamphetamine at that house, Chavez said. More than $3,000 in cash was also seized.
A grow and sales operation that included two other houses was discovered through the investigation.
“This isn’t their first time,” Chavez said about the sophisticated hydroponic system found inside the first house.
The men bypassed the NV Energy meter so their extra electricity needs weren’t noticed, he said.
The investigation continued about 7:30 p.m. in the 4100 block of Del Monte Avenue, near the intersection of Arville Street and Oakey Boulevard, police said.
Police found 552 marijuana plants there, Chavez said.
The task force expanded its bust to a home at 6145 Novelty St., about a mile away from the first bust, just before 1 a.m. Saturday. There they found two assault rifles, two guns and over $5,000 in cash, he said.
It wasn’t clear when and where Bing Han’s arrest was made. All three men are facing multiple federal charges, Chavez said.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is taking over the investigation from the Metro SCORE task force, because of the “significance of drugs and firearms seized,” Chavez said.
Contact Ricardo Torres at rtorres@reviewjournal.com and 702-383-0381. Follow @rickytwrites on Twitter.
