22,000 plants seized, one arrested in Oilton illegal pot farm bust

A bust at a marijuana farm in Oilton leads to the confiscation of 22,000 marijuana plants and 647 pounds of pot ready for sale. Agents with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics say the farm was a front for Chinese criminals who sell marijuana on the black market.

WHERE DID THIS HAPPEN?

The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics says agents executed a search warrant at a farm in Oilton after an investigation. The sign out front of the business reads “Icarus 420” and “Pegasus 420.” The farm is located on Highway 99 at East 650 Road.

WHO WAS INVOLVED?

OBN says Steven Hewitt was arrested, accused of fronting as the “straw owner” of the operation. More arrests could happen, according to the agency.

Agents say nearly a dozen others were detained. It says four of those detainees will be handed over to immigration.

“It appears that these were Mandarin Chinese workers and the people behind it were tied to these same criminal groups that have been running this Chinese black market marijuana pipeline from the west coast to the east coast,” said Mark Woodward, spokesperson for the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.

WHAT IS A STRAW OWNER?

State law requires the owner of a pot farm to be an Oklahoma citizen for at least two years. OBN says that creates a problem for the criminal groups, so they find someone to put their name on the business.

“They put a local person down as the owner and this local person just collects a monthly fee and they really have no day-to-day involvement with the farm whatsoever,” said Woodward. “They’re clearly a straw owner and that’s what we uncovered in this case.” 

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE MARIJUANA?

The marijuana was taken on dump trucks and Black Hawk helicopters to be destroyed.

IS THIS AN ONGOING PROBLEM IN OKLAHOMA?

Of the thousands of illegal pot farms raided in Oklahoma in the last three years, the OBN says more than 85% are tied to Chinese criminal groups.

“You’re looking at several millions of dollars’ worth of marijuana on the black market had it been able to reach their destination, which is typically along the east coast, which is some of the biggest suppliers of these criminal grows that are tied back to the Chinese,” said Woodward.

OBN says these illegal operations go further than just marijuana. Agents say these groups are also commonly involved in human trafficking, murders and other crimes.