Largest Pot Bust in NJ History Nets More Than $10 Million in Plants and Cash

By: Carlin Miller
Topics: Daily Blotter

The house in Monroe, N.J. where the initial arrest was made in what turned out to be a $10 million record pot bust. (AP/Augusto F. Menezes)

MONROE TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS/AP) It sounds like a dream sequence out of a Cheech and Chong movie. When a Monroe Township, N.J. police officer smelled something funny in the air, it led to a real-life record pot bust netting over $10 million dollars in growing plants and harvested bud.

On Feb. 17 police officer Thomas Lucasiewicz caught the smell of marijuana wafting from the chimney of a home last month in the Middlesex County community, about 40 miles north of Newark, Lucasiewicz told a press conference Wednesday.

Monroe Township Police patrol officer Tom Lucasiewicz, 23, who made the intitial bust.(AP/ Mel Evans)

When he knocked on the door of the home he found 44-year-old Thu N. Nguyen burning unusable parts of pot plants in the fireplace. Police went in and found 1,064 pot plants growing in the basement and master bedroom.

But that was only the beginning.

Over the span of three days, police unraveled an intricate web, and that bust led to search warrants for five more rented houses in four other towns - Millstone, Old Bridge, Manalapan and Manahawkin - that were being used to grow marijuana. One of the suspects lived in a sixth home where police seized $60,000 cash and vacuum bags used to package pot.

Police found holes drilled in floors to vent heat from the high-wattage lamps used for artificial sunlight, according to New Jersey's Star Ledger. One home had 74 lights of 1,000 watts each, authorities said. The suspects also bypassed electrical meters to conceal how much power the homes were concealing and steal electricity.

Rusty Payne, a spokesman for the Drug Enforcement Agency in Washington, D.C., said outdoor farms still produce the bulk of marijuana grown in the United States, but that indoor cultivation has become more popular because they can grow year round, according to the Star Ledger.

In addition, plummeting real estate values in places like Florida and California have made it easier for criminals to obtain homes, Payne said.

"These criminal groups will buy or rent a house on a middle class, quiet street," he said. "They'll draw their blinds so no one knows what's going on inside."

All six suspects named are of Vietnamese descent. The three who were arrested - Nguyen, 44, a Canadian citizen; Tuan A. Dang, 35, of Port Monmouth; and Ngoc H. Bui, 35, of Old Bridge - were charged with maintaining a marijuana cultivation facility and drug possession with intent to distribute, crimes that each carry sentences of up to 20 years. They were also charged with theft of services for bypassing electrical meters at four homes to steal thousands of dollars worth of electricity and conceal the high amount of energy used to power growing lamps.

Police believe suspects Minh Bui and Quynh Bui fled to Thailand, and Nhung Thach is on the run.

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by adelaidedetroit May 24, 2011 10:29 AM EDT: I am looking for <a href="http://realestate.nj.com/new-jersey/middlesex-county/listings/for-rent/apartments">Cheap Middlesex County Apartments for Rent</a> and came across your post. I appreciate your recommendation and know this information will be helpful in my decision making process.; Reply to this comment


by thach1975 January 10, 2011 6:57 PM EST: I want to know why is a fugitive (nhung thach)of a $10 million drug operation is released; Reply to this comment


by dragon8me March 14, 2010 11:52 PM EDT: No government has a right to outlaw plants. I can tell you right now there are many plants that are far more powerful than cannabis that are legal and also deadly. Once people knew the many uses of native plants but most of that knowledge has been lost. Are we better off with pharmicuticals? If we still had all the collective knoledge of medicinal plants in most cases we would be better off with plant medicine. Cannabis has been proven save and effective, they want to say it has more carcenogens than tobacco though only if smoked, It's better to vaporize but canabinoids counteract the carcenogens anyway. Lung cancer rates among heavy users are no higher than the general population, so smoking is really not a problem. It's more than time to end this silly prohibition.; Reply to this comment


by AttentionDeficit March 14, 2010 6:43 PM EDT: djblazen: alcohol should not be illegal. we tried that, and it doesn't work. pot should have the same legal status as booze.; Reply to this comment

by Clark_Culver March 13, 2010 7:54 PM EST

Way to go! We will spend millions on this case to arrest, prosecute, and incarcerate these people. All to confiscate .0001% of the cannabis being grown in New Jersey, alone. What a waste of time, money, and law enforcement resources.

Meanwhile, the clearance rate for murders continues to decline . . . to 61% from 93%:

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P2-19675262.html

and the clearance rate for burglaries is an appalling 13%:

oja.state.wi.us/docview.asp?docid=3780&locid=97

and crimes such as identity theft are on the rise.

We need to get our priorities straight in this country.

Hmm, go after rapists, identity thieves, burglars, and murderers; or try to control what people do with their own bodies?

I can't believe anyone would choose the latter.

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by MalloryDavis March 14, 2010 1:43 AM EST: I agree with you brother...

by berlinfoto-2009 March 13, 2010 2:35 PM EST

The Netherlands have had legalized marijuana for years now, and today it is becoming a model for other European nations to follow. The Laws in the United States dealing with drugs, probably have more to do with making it possible for the police to lock up individuals, that are perceived by the police, as being harmful to society. The association between the people (SNITCHES) who get individuals hook on drugs and the police is only invisible to those who do not want to know the truth.
The evolution of drug laws in America make for a interesting study.
When todays illegal drugs were legal, in America, there was no drug crime, and almost no crime associated with people who used drugs, and no pharmacist were involved in drug crime.
One reason for drug laws is to promote these enormous secret police agencies, that want to put everyone under surveillance, and otherwise violate your Constitutional rights.
I truly think that it is incredible stupid, and a incredible waste, to have over one million American citizens in prisons for involvement in the use and selling of drugs. Can we as a nation afford to continue to put people in prison for drugs? or is their some plan to just kill them all? at some latter date?

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by jeff-fla March 13, 2010 5:20 PM EST: The Netherlands have had legalized marijuana for years now,

Not true, they just turned a blind eye.Last I read they are thinking of closing most of the shops.


by jherrer2 March 13, 2010 12:56 PM EST: "Ever known anyone who did dope for years? I know 3 people - none of them can function today and they are only in their 40's. I do not want to support them so send me your address and I will let the parents of these kids know where you live and that you want to support their lazy behinds."

Yeah I know lots of people that have smoked for years. This isn't true at all. Marijuana use produces little structural changes with in the brain. Playing soccer does more damage to the brain.; Reply to this comment

by TheWeedBlog March 12, 2010 5:56 PM EST

Marijuana use itself is not that bad, it's the marijuana laws that are the problem. If someone chooses to consume marijuana, they should do it responsibly. The first step toward re-education on marijuana is getting people to realize what the current laws are. Depending on which state you are in, you can get jail time and hefty fines for just testing positive for marijuana or possessing a used pipe. Want to know what the marijuana laws are in your state? Go to http://www.theweedblog.com to find out. There is lots of interesting stuff on that site.

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by hateisafourletterword March 13, 2010 11:12 AM EST: Ever known anyone who did dope for years? I know 3 people - none of them can function today and they are only in their 40's. I do not want to support them so send me your address and I will let the parents of these kids know where you live and that you want to support their lazy behinds.


by IndiasWorstTechSupport March 12, 2010 5:13 PM EST: Just because you're inside the house or building it doesn't mean that nobody else can't smell it. Don't these drug dealers get that? that's why that shet stinks!; Reply to this comment