This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Crime & Safety

Suspects in the "Mighty Mites" Drug Bust Again Defer Plea

Seven suspects who allegedly grew and cultivated more than $450,000 worth of marijuana will return to court in June.

The seven people arrested in the "Mighty Mites" drug bust for allegedly growing and cultivating $450,000 worth of marijuana in South San Francisco and Daly City again today postponed their plea and bail hearings until early June.

Steven Pham, 25, Tue Pham, 37, Marvin Pham, 27, Brian Wong, 31, Nam Nguyen, 29, Danny Nguyen, 22, and Donna Quach, 28, all delayed entering pleas in a Redwood City courtroom Thursday afternoon. Instead, they will return back to do so on June 6.

The seven, charged with a variety of crimes ranging from felony marijuana possession to possession of firearms, previously deferred plea entry earlier this month.

Nearly two weeks ago, police arrested the seven suspects in the culmination of a nine-month undercover investigation by San Mateo County authorities who dubbed the operation "Mighty Mites," due to agents observing an infestation of spider mites and their webs on many of the nearly 1,400 marijuana plants seized.

In addition to the growing marijuana plants, police also collected 55 pounds of harvested marijuana, six guns and more than $47,000 in suspected drug profits.

Police and task forces from San Francisco, South San Francisco and Daly City collaborated in raiding four indoor grow operations, as well as residences of the suspects and alleged co-conspirators.

The grow operations were located at three locations in Daly City, and one in South San Francisco on the 200 block of Wattis Way. Police also served warrants at residences in four San Francisco neighborhoods and at one Daly City residence.

All suspects are residents of either Daly City or San Francisco, according to authorities.

According to the San Mateo County Narcotics Task Force, the location police raided in South San Francisco was a warehouse fully committed to growing marijuana. Officers took 963 marijuana plants and 25 pounds of processed marijuana from the warehouse.

All the suspects are allegedly members of an Asian drug trafficking organization, according to authorities.

Evidence suggests that the operations were strictly for-profit ventures, according to the task force.

Today in the courtroom, bailiffs reprimanded family members present to support the suspects for apparently attempting to communicate with them from across the room.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.