CORNVILLE — Two New York residents were arrested Wednesday after authorities discovered a large-scale marijuana cultivation operation in Cornville, Maine.
The Somerset County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a residence on West Ridge Road at 1 p.m. on Dec. 18, 2024.
Officers found 1,497 growing marijuana plants and approximately 53 pounds of processed marijuana in a detached garage and the main residence.
Yihui Chen, 52, and Shubing Gao, 46, both of Brooklyn, New York, were arrested and charged with unlawful trafficking in scheduled drugs and cultivation of marijuana, both Class B felonies.
Bail for each was set at $15,000 cash.
The search involved four sheriff’s office detectives, five Waterville Police Department detectives, a U.S.
Border Patrol agent, and a field investigator from the Office of Cannabis Policy.
Authorities also seized $1,800 in cash, illegal drug-related articles, and a 2017 Toyota van during the raid.
This operation marks the 22nd drug search warrant executed by the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Division in 2024 related to alleged illegal marijuana cultivation and trafficking activities.
These warrants have resulted in 13 arrests across multiple Maine towns.
To date, the series of raids has yielded approximately 28,000 marijuana plants, 250 pounds of processed marijuana, $50,000 in cash, and five vehicles believed to be connected to illegal operations.
Chen and Gao are currently held at Somerset County Jail with initial court appearances scheduled for March 5, 2025, at the Somerset County Unified Criminal Court.
The Somerset County District Attorney’s Office is assisting with the investigation, and additional charges may be forthcoming.
