Acting on a tip about suspicious activity at a Montrose home, Houston narcotics officers arrested Tan Khac Nguyen and Thien Quang Nguyen there on 2 March 2007 and found a sophisticated hydroponic grow with more than 600 marijuana plants.[1] A months-long follow-up identified eight more grow houses, and on Monday 16 July officers found hydroponic operations in each, seizing about 3,100 plants weighing some 1,000 pounds along with about $500,000 in equipment and six vehicles.[1] Tuan The Nguyen, Minh Nguyen and Van Dung Nguyen were arrested the same day at separate locations.[1]
All five were charged with felony possession of marijuana, the first two in the 228th State District Court and the other three in the 262nd.[1] Reporting on the Monday raids, the Houston Chronicle said officers had hit seven homes and seized hundreds of high-grade plants after a five-month investigation into a ring selling marijuana at about $4,000 a pound across the country.[2] The Bryan-College Station Eagle added that each house had been remodelled for growing, with rooms of timer-lit plants capable of yielding more than four pounds apiece, and that the suspects bypassed electric meters to power them.[2][3]
The department published four photographs of one of the raided grow operations with its release.[1] Police said the investigation was continuing and more arrests were expected.[1][2]
