ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A federal grand jury has indicted three individuals, including a Navajo man and his father, on charges related to operating illegal marijuana cultivation sites in New Mexico and the Navajo Nation aimed at supplying the black market.
The indictment was made public on Thursday, following a recent series of raids conducted by local, state, and federal authorities. These raids targeted the residence of one defendant and two farms in rural areas east of Albuquerque, which were reportedly unlicensed. Authorities seized a significant amount of marijuana, approximately 8,500 pounds (3,855 kilograms), along with methamphetamine, firearms, $35,000 in cash, illegal pesticides, and a bulletproof vest during the operation.
The defendants, identified as Dineh Benally, 48; Donald Benally, 74; and Irving Rea Yui Lin, 73, face serious charges including conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute, and polluting a protected waterway.
Prosecutors characterized the operation as a serious criminal enterprise and have requested that a federal judge detain the defendants while awaiting trial, citing concerns that they pose a threat to community safety and may attempt to flee justice.
“The defendants are drug traffickers who operate outside of the law,” stated the federal motion for detention, raising questions about community safety and the defendants’ likelihood of appearing in court.
Prior to this indictment, Dineh Benally gained notoriety in 2020 when his cannabis farming efforts in northwestern New Mexico were raided by authorities, leading to legal complications with the Navajo Department of Justice.
Additional allegations against the defendants include claims made by a group of Chinese migrant workers, who accused them of coercing them into laboring for long hours in the illegal marijuana fields on the Navajo Nation.
In a notable enforcement action last year, New Mexico marijuana regulators revoked a license for another growing operation linked to Benally, imposing a hefty $1 million fine for exceeding the licensed number of mature plants.
The indictment claims that the illegal operation involved the establishment of over 1,100 cannabis greenhouses, the solicitation of investment from Chinese entities, and the recruitment of workers to cultivate the illicit crops. Allegations also suggest that Benally attempted to bribe a chief of police within the Navajo Nation to permit illegal cultivation on tribal land.
According to the indictment, the farms were reportedly secured by armed guards, and marijuana was packaged using vacuum sealers for transport across state lines. The defendants are also accused of violating federal clean water regulations by constructing a dam along the San Juan River to irrigate their crops, along with unlawful drilling of wells for water access.
If convicted, each defendant faces a minimum of 10 years and potentially life imprisonment.
