U.S. Attorney's Office, FBI, DEA, and EPA Announce Indictment in Massive Illegal New Mexico Cannabis Cultivation Scheme

In Albuquerque, New Mexico a federal grand jury has indicted three individuals for their alleged roles in a large-scale marijuana cultivation and distribution operation. The indictment charges Dineh Benally, 48, his father, Donald Benally, 74, and Irving Rea Yui Lin, 73, a California resident, with multiple offenses related to the illegal marijuana operation.

The charges include conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana, manufacture of 1,000 kilograms and more of marijuana and 1,000 and more marijuana plants, possession with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms and more of marijuana and 1,000 and more marijuana plants, maintaining drug-involved premises, and two counts of knowingly discharging pollutants into waters of the United States without a permit.

According to the indictment, the operation involved:

25 farms covering approximately 400 acres in the Shiprock area

Construction of approximately 1,107 cannabis greenhouses

Solicitation of Chinese investors to fund the operation

Recruitment of Chinese workers to cultivate the marijuana

The defendants are also accused of violating the Clean Water Act by discharging pollutants into the San Juan River, filling in a channel along the San Juan River dam, and installing a sandbag dam along the San Juan River. These actions potentially caused significant environmental damage to the area.

In November 2020, law enforcement seized approximately 60,000 pounds of marijuana and approximately 260,000 marijuana plants from the twenty-five marijuana farms allegedly operated and controlled by the defendants.

On January 23, 2025, during a raid on two additional marijuana farms operated by Dineh Benally in Estancia, New Mexico (as well as his residence), law enforcement identified 10 Chinese workers and seized approximately 8,500 pounds of marijuana, $35,000 cash, illegal pesticides, 43 grams of methamphetamine, two firearms, and a bullet proof vest, among many other things.

The Torrance County Sheriff's Office has been working on this operation for over a year with our state and federal agency partners. They issued the following statement that, "we want to thank all those involved including personnel
from the FBI, TCSO, Border Patrol, HSI, NMSP, APD, BCSO, EPA, TCRD, TCAC, VCSO, NM DOJ, USAO, and RCFL for their hard work and cooperation that allowed us to complete the operation in a timely and effective manner. We also want to thank the community for their support, tips, and information that made this possible. Please continue to call in tips regarding any kind of suspected criminal activity and rest assured we will investigate and take actions as legally allowed".
In total, three federal search warrants and two federal arrest warrants were executed. Preliminary review of the search warrants results yielded the following:

Approximately 8500 pounds of marijuana
Two firearms
One ballistic vest
Approximately $35,000 in cash
Numerous electronic devices
Business records
Suspected banned chemicals (EPA)

Troy Weisler, Chief of the New Mexico State Police, has issued the following comment
in response to the collaborative investigation into illegal cannabis grow in Estancia, NM on January 23, 2025:

"The illegal cannabis trafficking organization dismantled in this operation has been an
ongoing problem for New Mexico. They thought they were untouchable, but they were
mistaken. The New Mexico State Police, in partnership with the FBI, remains committed
to shutting down operations like this and eliminating organized crime from our state

"The FBI remains committed to continue to dismantle criminal organizations operating in New Mexico." said Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Division. "Effective law enforcement requires strong partnerships at every level. This operation is a testament to the power of collaboration between state, local, tribal, and federal agencies to ensure justice is served and our communities are protected."

The Navajo Nation issued the following statement concerning this joint operation.

"The Navajo Division of Public Safety office of the Executive Director expresses gratitude for the partnership that exists between law enforcement jurisdictions protecting the Dine’ people, its land, and its life way. 

The arrest of Donald Benally on January 23, 2025, in Shiprock, New Mexico pursuant to a federal arrest warrant charging Benally with Conspiracy – possession with intent to distribute 1,000 and more kilograms of marijuana and 1,000 and more of marijuana plants is a testament to this partnership.

Many Dine’ farmlands were destroyed and its fresh water polluted with pesticides, creating an imbalance and disharmony for the Dine’ people and its land. The disruption occurred when the people’s cornfields were replaced with marijuana fields and its yellow corn pollen way of life was trampled on by greed.

The joint investigation into the disruption by the Navajo and federal law enforcement agencies was long and it involved many people. The Navajo Division of Public Safety is happy for the Dine’ people that the individuals responsible for the disruption have finally been caught, and it is a good day for the Dine’ people.

The Navajo law enforcement and its Tribal, County, State, and Federal partners will continue to work long and hard to protect the Dine’ people, its land, and its life way."

If convicted, the defendants each face no less than 10 years and up to life in prison.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, and Kim Bahney, Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Area Office of the EPA Criminal Investigation Division, made the announcement today.

The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency investigated this case with the assistance of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, and the Navajo Nation Police Department. In addition, the following law enforcement agencies participated in the law enforcement operation: Torrance County Sheriff’s Office, Valencia County Sheriff’s Office, United States Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, New Mexico Department of Justice, New Mexico State Police, and the FBI El Paso Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew McGinley is prosecuting the case.

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