Investigative Reporting on Illegal Marijuana Operations in Maine

Local journalist, Philip Ranzicki, who works for the Daily Call News Foundation, has recently been recognized for shedding light on China’s tie to illegal marijuana businesses.

Two individuals charged in relation to these illegal operations in Maine have affiliations with noted Communist Chinese front groups, a matter first reported in May. Mainwire’s editor-in-chief, Steve Robinson, discussed with Tucker Carlson, co-founder of the Daily Call News Foundation, concerning discoveries made near illegal marijuana cultivation sites, including items found in abandoned vehicles.

“Thanks to Philip Lenczycki of the Daily Caller News Foundation, I was able to report last week on illegal marijuana growth in my hometown of Dexter,” Robinson mentioned. “We discovered an abandoned BMW there, and inside the vehicle were two shirts linked to the Chinese for the West Association of New York.”

He noted, “I thought it was strange at first; I snapped a picture but didn’t dwell on it much. This location is, interestingly, just about a mile from a U.S. Army Reserve facility. Later, Philip successfully connected two people arrested in Carmel, Maine, to this case. One of them has been featured in Chinese state media discussing his plans to return to the U.S. and make contributions.”

The individuals, identified as Huang and Yongchao Huang, were also arrested on June 29, 2023, with the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office leading the investigation. A memo acquired by the Daily Caller News Foundation indicated that more than 270 sites in Maine are suspected of being involved in these illegal operations from China.

“Our comprehensive understanding of Cantonese, Mandarin, and various Chinese cultural elements helps us identify these organizations as front groups,” the report stated.