3 more Arcadia marijuana homes found

Three more homes in Arcadia were found to each be growing hundreds of marijuana plants Thursday, Jan. 22.

The residences being used for illegal drug cultivation this time were in the 1800 block of South Baldwin Avenue and in the 300 block of West Woodruff Avenue, and the 2700 block of Gilpin Way. Three males and a female have been arrested and booked at the Arcadia City Jail on felony charges of cultivation of marijuana with a bail of $50,000. Two infants were found at the Woodruff home — the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services has been contact to arrange care for them.

Four homes from November 2013 to December 2014 were previously found to be cultivating marijuana. 

From an updated report by the Arcadia Police Department this morning, Jan. 23:

Arcadia Police Department Detectives and SWAT Team served two search warrants at Arcadia homes in the 1800 block of South Baldwin Avenue and in the 300 block of West Woodruff Avenue during the early morning hours today (sic). The two locations were linked during the course of an investigation into possible indoor marijuana grow operations. Both warrants were served without incident and indoor marijuana grows were found at each location.

Prior to the warrant service on Woodruff, a male was detained leaving the location in a vehicle. A second male was seen arriving at the same location in a vehicle and was also subsequently detained along with a female and two male infants who were inside the Woodruff home. Gao Ming, a 46-year-old male from Arcadia, and Jia Hui Shen, a 27-year-old male from El Monte, and Lan Lau, a 34-year-old female from Arcadia were arrested and booked at the Arcadia City Jail on felony charges of cultivation of marijuana with bail of $50,000.00 each. Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services was contacted to arrange care for the infants.

During the course of the investigation, Detectives identified a third residence believed to be connected to the cultivation of marijuana. Surveillance was conducted and a male subject was detained after he fled the residence in a vehicle. A search warrant was obtained and served at the residence in the 2700 Block of Gilpin Way, which revealed the residence was in fact being used for indoor marijuana cultivation. As a result, Tong Wang, a 28-year-old male from Arcadia was arrested and booked at the Arcadia City Jail on felony charges of cultivation of marijuana with bail of $50,000.00.

All three locations were found to contain indoor marijuana grow operations with lighting, ventilation, and electrical wiring run throughout. It appeared the electrical set-up was bypassing the meters and also tapping directly into the electrical service at each location. Approximately 750 marijuana plants were found in various stages of growth throughout the Baldwin location, approximately 922 marijuana plants at the Woodruff location, and approximately 280 marijuana plants were located and recovered at the Gilpin Way address. No evidence was found at any of the locations to indicate a medical marijuana grow operation. The investigation is continuing as to property ownership, utility theft, and possible child endangerment.

Anyone with information on this incident is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department at (626) 574-5150, case #1500297. If you prefer to provide information ANONYMOUSLY, you may call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the tip page at Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers, www. http://lacrimestoppers.org/.