By Pepper Fisher
PORT ANGELES – Dong Hao Mai, the Port Angeles businessman and owner of 6 properties that were the subject of massive pot-growing bust in December, was formally charged Thursday.
Records obtained from the County Prosecutor’s Office show Mai has been charged with 5 counts each of Unlawful Use of a Building For Drug Purposes and Unlawful Manufacture or Possess With Intent to Manufacture or Deliver Marijuana.
A Court Summons instructs him to appear in court on May 14 and to present himself to the Sheriff’s Office for booking prior to appearance. In other words, he has not been arrested.
Records reveal that the investigation into Mai began in 2017 after UPS employees reported multiple instances of suspicious packages being sent to locations in Missouri by a man they later identified as Mai.
An anonymous source also said that Mai was involved in a marijuana grow operation, which triggered a 3-year investigation including surveillance of the 6 properties.
When OPNET and other agents served search warrants on December 7, 2020, they found 5 of the 6 buildings (one was used as a full-time residence only) had been extensively altered and renovated specifically for growing and processing large crops of marijuana.
Over 3000 living plants and 600 pounds of processed weed were collected from the 5 buildings combined.
All this a month after Mai submitted an application for a Conditional Use Permit to set up a 3,800 square-foot grow operation near the top of the Tumwater Truck Route in Port Angeles. That application was withdrawn earlier this week just before it was to be reviewed for approval.
All 10 charges carry a maximum sentence of 5 years and/or a $10,000 fine each.
(CCSO photo)