Three individuals, including a Navajo man and his father, have been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly running illegal marijuana growing operations in New Mexico and on the Navajo Nation. The indictment, unsealed on Thursday, charges Dineh Benally, 48, his father Donald Benally, 74, and business partner Irving Rea Yui Lin, 73, with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute, and polluting a protected waterway.
According to the indictment, the trio operated a large-scale illegal marijuana growing operation, which included the construction of over 1,100 greenhouses, the solicitation of Chinese investors, and the recruitment of Chinese workers to cultivate the crops. The operation was allegedly run on both private and tribal land, with armed guards securing the farms and vacuum sealers used to package the marijuana.
Authorities raided the home of one of the defendants and two farms in a rural area east of Albuquerque, seizing 8,500 pounds of marijuana, methamphetamine, two firearms, $35,000 in cash, and illegal pesticides. Prosecutors have asked a federal judge to detain the men pending trial, citing concerns that they may flee and pose a danger to the community.
The alleged operation has been described as a “brazen criminal enterprise” by prosecutors, who argue that the defendants’ actions put the community at risk and that they are a danger to themselves and others. If convicted, each defendant faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
Dineh Benally has previously made headlines for his involvement in cannabis farming operations in northwestern New Mexico, which were raided by federal authorities in 2020. The Navajo Department of Justice sued him, leading to a court order halting the operations. A group of Chinese immigrant workers also sued Benally and his associates, claiming they were forced to work long hours trimming marijuana on the Navajo Nation without fair compensation.
The defendants have denied the charges, with Lin claiming he was only an interpreter for immigrant workers and had no involvement in the business. The case is ongoing, with a trial date yet to be set.
