TULSA – A Chinese national was arrested last month in northeastern Oklahoma in possession of 268 pounds of marijuana and $100,045 in cash.
Jin Kai Chen, 51, was indicted in Oklahoma’s Northern District federal court here Oct. 2 on a charge of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. He was arraigned Oct. 6 and was released from custody on $10,000 bond pending a jury trial scheduled for Dec. 4.
Government prosecutors also filed a forfeiture application to seize the cash as proceeds of an illegal enterprise.
Chen was driving a Mercedes-Benz van when he was pulled over Sept. 13 for making an unsafe lane change near the Interstate 44 and U.S. Highway 412 junction in Rogers County, near the eastern Tulsa County line.
Barney “Max” Oden, a Bureau of Indian Affairs special agent and a task force officer with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, reported “a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.”
Oden said he asked Chen whether there was any marijuana in the vehicle and Chen “stated he had no knowledge of there being any” in the van. Oden said he also asked Chen whether there was any contraband in the vehicle, including “large amounts of U.S. currency,” and Chen “stated there was not.”
However, during a search of the cargo area of the vehicle authorized by Chen, Oden said he found five large duffel bags and two large trash bags that contained 244 packages containing 268 pounds of processed marijuana bud.
Oden said he peered into an upper storage area in the roof of the vehicle, where he found two large vacuum-sealed bags that contained $100,045 in U.S. cash inside a backpack. Chen disclaimed “any ownership” of the currency,” Oden wrote in an affidavit filed in the case.
Oden and OBN task force officer Ron Walker arrested Chen. Eight other Chinese nationals in the van were identified with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and were released, Oden wrote.