2 Arrested For Alleged Marijuana Grows, Electricity Theft In Diamond Bar
DIAMOND BAR (CBSLA.com) — Two men were in custody Thursday after authorities discovered thousands of marijuana plants at three separate growing operations east of downtown Los Angeles.
Binh Ly, 43, of Rosemead, and Thank Chiem, 45, of San Jose, were arrested Wednesday after search warrants were conducted in the cities of Diamond Bar and Hacienda Heights.
Investigators found an elaborate marijuana grow system with more than 2,000 marijuana plants at various stages of growth worth an estimated $6 million.
Approximately 20 pounds of finished product was recovered.
Detectives also determined that electricity was being stolen from Southern California Edison (SCE) at all three locations. Representatives from SCE responded and are in the process of estimating their losses.
The suspects were booked at Walnut Sheriff's Station and bail was set at $170,000.
Greg Mills, reporting for CBS2 and KCAL9, spoke to neighbors in Diamond Bar.
Joanne Sun told Mills a new renter moved into the house across the street months ago and she still hasn't met the person. "I don't even know who lives in there."
She doesn't know who lived there but she now knows what the renter did for a living. "When they opened the window, I said 'Oh my goodness!'"
Anyone with information about any other possible victims or witnesses was asked to contact Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Narcotics Bureau at (562) 623-3590 or anonymously by using the L.A. Crime Stoppers website.
