Last Thursday, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office arrested and charged a man for unlawfully growing a significant amount of cannabis in the Town of Amsterdam.
According to the Office, Chuanjin Sun, a 53-year-old from Brooklyn, NY, was taken into custody by the Montgomery County Sheriff on June 6, 2024, for running an extensive cannabis cultivation operation without a valid permit.
The Office took notice of an unusual smell of cannabis coming from a building on Chapman Drive in Amsterdam, and subsequently, its Criminal Investigations Unit and the Town of Amsterdam Fire Inspector were informed. An investigation was initiated to determine if any unlawful activities were taking place.
The Criminal Investigations Unit of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Fire Inspector of the Town of Amsterdam were notified of reports regarding a building on Chapman Drive in Amsterdam emitting an “excessive odor of cannabis.” (Source: Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office)
Sun, the owner of a building, was discovered to be running a massive cannabis growing operation on June 6. The plants were intended for distribution throughout New York State.
The Office of Cannabis Management has officially confirmed that Sun was operating at the location without a valid permit issued by the state.
The Fire Inspector took action and closed down the building due to numerous violations and hazardous conditions that posed a risk of fire. During the inspection, the Fire Inspector and Sheriff’s Office Investigators confiscated more than 2,200 cannabis plants, all of which measured between 2 to 3 feet in height.
The authorities apprehended Sun and brought him to the Office, where he underwent processing for the allegations of possessing cannabis in the first degree and unlawfully cultivating cannabis.
After being arraigned in the Amsterdam Town Court, he was released on his own recognizance and given a future court date.