Illegal Winlock Grow Leads Police to Cash, Marijuana in Tacoma and California

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Three Winlock residents pleaded not guilty to all charges while a warrant was issued for a fourth in Lewis County Superior Court on Friday after they were arrested for allegedly operating a large-scale marijuana growing operation at their Winlock residence and a Tacoma residence.

Guo Xian Chen, 36, Guocai Chen, 44, Shiyu Liang, 34, all from Winlock, pleaded not guilty to three charges: manufacture of marijuana, maintaining premises or vehicle for using controlled substances and delivery of marijuana, while Sha Li, 45, of Winlock was not present for her hearing and a warrant for her arrest was issued.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, the Lewis County Joint Narcotics Team (JNET) was first tipped off about the prospect of a large-scale marijuana growing operation on Dec. 31, 2019 when employees of the Lewis County Solid Waste Transfer Station told police a man dropped off garbage with the distinct odor of marijuana.

JNET detectives observed the garbage and found grow blocks, marijuana shake and other paraphernalia commonly associated with high-yield marijuana growing operations, according to the affidavit.

Based on witnesses and surveillance cameras at the transfer station, the detectives learned that the suspect was an Asian male driving a black Toyota Sienna with a California license plate.

The vehicle was registered to a person with the last name of “Li,” whose California DOL photo depicted the man who reportedly dumped off the marijuana shake at the transfer station, according to the affidavit.

Detectives did a property search for the last name “Li” in Lewis County and found that one Sha Li owned a residence in the 100 block of Harkins Road in Winlock.

On January 6, detectives drove by the Harkins Road residence and found a different black Toyota Sienna, which was registered under Li’s name, and a white Mercedes van, which was registered to Liang, both with California license plates. 

The next day, detectives were informed that an Asian male driving the white Mercedes van observed at the Harkins Road residence had dropped off garbage that contained marijuana shake and growing blocks.

Law enforcement was able to obtain a warrant for a GPS tracking device which they placed on the Mercedes van. As they were placing the tracking device on the van at the Harkin Road residence, JNET officers noticed the sound of electric fans running and the smell of marijuana coming from the garage, according to the affidavit.

With the tracking device, detectives located the van traveling from the Harkins Road residence to the transfer station, to a garden supply store in Portland, Oregon, and to an address in Elk Grove, California all in the month of January.

Upon returning to the Harkins Road residence from the California address, the vehicle reportedly stayed in Winlock for a few hours before going to a Tacoma residence for a day.

JNET detectives served a search warrant on the Harkins Road residence and the Tacoma residence simultaneously.

At the Harkins Road address, detectives did not find the suspects but found 2,437 marijuana plants, $20,620 in cash, 38 pounds of dried marijuana bud for packaging, bags for packaging, carbon-lined duffle duffle bags for transport and two Bank of America safe deposit keys, according to the affidavit.

At the Tacoma address, detectives found Li, Liang, Guo Xian Chen and Guocai Chen with Liang’s Mercedes van. In the residence they also reportedly found 1,290 marijuana plants and an additional $10,065 in cash with packaging supplies and electronic scales, according to the affidavit.

The detectives also obtained a search warrant for Sha Li’s deposit box in Sacramento, California, and found it to contain $40,000 in cash.

A JNET detective interviewed Li, who reportedly admitted to putting a marijuana grow in her Harkins Road residence, and Guo Xian Chen, who said he and his brother, Guocai Chen, live at the Tacoma residence but help out with trimming and maintaining the plants.

In court on Friday, Liang, Guo Xian Chen and Guocai Chen agreed to conditions of release on $25,000 unsecured bails while a $25,000 warrant was issued for Li.

The trio that was present in court on Friday waived their right to a speedy trial and set their trial setting hearing for December 17.