A Navajo individual, along with his father and a business associate, has been charged in connection with operating illicit marijuana cultivation operations in both New Mexico and on the Navajo Nation, aiming to supply the black market.
The charges were revealed on Thursday, following a series of raids conducted by local, state, and federal law enforcement a week prior. These actions targeted one defendant’s residence and two unlicensed farms in a rural area situated east of Albuquerque. Authorities reportedly confiscated a staggering 8,500 pounds (3,855 kilograms) of marijuana, along with methamphetamine, firearms, $35,000 in cash, illegal pesticides, and a bulletproof vest.
The individuals facing charges—Dineh Benally, 48; Donald Benally, 74; and 73-year-old Irving Rea Yui Lin from California—are confronted with multiple allegations. These include conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana, possession with the intent to distribute, and polluting a protected waterway.
Prosecutors have characterized the alleged operation as a bold criminal enterprise and have urged a federal judge to keep the men detained while awaiting trial. They expressed concerns that these defendants might flee and posed a threat to the community. The prosecution’s motion emphasized the defendants’ engagement in drug trafficking and suggested that only pretrial detention would ensure the community’s safety and the defendants’ presence in court.
Attempts to receive comments from the defendants were unsuccessful, as calls and email messages left Thursday went unanswered. However, Lin refuted the allegations, asserting that his role was limited to acting as an interpreter for immigrant workers, and he had no involvement in the cultivation business.
Dineh Benally has a history with cannabis farming operations in northwestern New Mexico, notably making headlines in 2020 when federal authorities executed raids on his operations. Following those events, the Navajo Department of Justice brought a lawsuit against him, culminating in a court order that brought his activities to a halt.
Additionally, a group of Chinese immigrant workers has also filed a lawsuit against Benally and his associates, claiming they were misled into coming to northern New Mexico and were compelled to work extensive hours processing marijuana on the Navajo Nation, where such cultivation is prohibited.
In a significant move last year, New Mexico’s marijuana regulators revoked the license of a growing operation in Torrance County, located east of Albuquerque. They imposed a hefty fine of $1 million due to the discovery of roughly 20,000 mature plants present on-site—four times the permissible limit according to the issued license. Furthermore, inspectors uncovered an additional 20,000 immature plants during their review.
The indictment indicates that the criminal enterprise involved building over 1,100 cannabis greenhouses, soliciting investments from Chinese backers, and hiring Chinese workers for the cultivation of the crops. Donald Benally is accused of attempting to bribe the chief of police for the Navajo Nation with drug profits to permit marijuana cultivation on tribal lands.
Additionally, the indictment mentions that armed guards were protecting the farms located on tribal lands, where vacuum sealers were utilized for packaging the marijuana, and the Chinese workers allegedly transported the products across state lines.
The defendants are also charged with breaching federal clean water regulations by constructing a sandbag dam along the San Juan River to irrigate their crops, along with drilling wells for water access.
If found guilty, each defendant could face a minimum of 10 years in prison, with the potential for life sentences, according to the statements made by the prosecutors.
