Alleged illegal marijuana grow raided in Federal Way

Law enforcement raided a Federal Way home over an alleged illegal marijuana grow operation, and after three other associated homes were searched, five people were arrested and received multiple charges.

On Sept. 24, the Pierce County Office of the Prosecuting Attorney charged five people accused of running illegal marijuana grow operations in a Federal Way home and a Lakewood home. The five were charged on Sept. 25, and subsequently pleaded not guilty on Sept. 26.

Suspects and charges

• Mingguang Huang, 38, of Federal Way: Unlawful use of building for drug purposes and unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance.

• Yun Guang Huang, 40, of Federal Way: Unlawful use of building for drug purposes and unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance.

• Limei Huang, 46, of Lakewood: Unlawful use of building for drug purposes and unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance.

• Hui Chen, 56, of Seattle: Unlawful use of building for drug purposes and unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance.

• Eileen Hy, 65, of Seattle: Two counts of unlawful use of building for drug purposes, two counts of unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance and leading organized crime.

Details of the case

According to charging documents, the case began on May 11, 2021, when a police sergeant received an anonymous tip about a suspected marijuana grow operation in Lakewood. Neighbors reported unusual activity, including covered windows, extensive security cameras, a suspicious vehicle and the sound of transformers or fans, according to documents.

Documents state that the sergeant personally detected the odor of marijuana from the home and heard a humming noise. The sergeant checked with the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board and confirmed the address did not have a license.

In April 2025, the investigation resumed, and the sergeant observed all windows at the residence were fully covered to prevent natural light transfer. Documents state this is consistent with concealment of high-intensity grow lighting.

Neighbors reported daily odors of fresh cannabis, particularly around 4 a.m. and 4 p.m., which is consistent with scheduled ventilation. Documents state that at the residence were vehicles registered to Hy and Chen. The vehicles were types commonly used for transporting cannabis and related equipment, but they were not registered to do so, according to documents. Hy and Chen had prior involvement with an illegal marijuana grow in Federal Way, where a residential fire exposed the illicit operation.

Documents state that during the investigation, while conducting surveillance, officers were led to a cannabis processing facility in Arlington, where one of the cars from the Lakewood home was seen. An associate of the processing facility was later found to have transferred money to Hy.

Further investigation revealed nearly 24 times the amount of normal electricity use at the Lakewood home and a Federal Way home located on Southwest 312th Place, where another marijuana operation was suspected. According to documents, approximately $5,000 per month was spent on electricity at these two homes,

Documents state that Hy and Chen owned the Lakewood home and the Federal Way home. The Federal Way home and the Lakewood home were not licensed for marijuana growing.

At about 4:30 a.m., officers searched all of the suspected homes simultaneously. Officers also searched a Tacoma home and a Seattle home associated with Hy and Chen, but only evidence that seemed to indicate a marijuana grow was removed from the Tacoma home was found. In the Seattle home, there was evidence found that tied the owner to the Federal Way home and the Lakewood home, but no marijuana.

According to documents, Lakewood police officers, alongside Valley SWAT officers, executed a search warrant at the Federal Way home and inside, they located Mingguang Huang and Yun Guang Huang. Both of the suspects in the Federal Way home refused to answer any questions, and investigators noticed a strong odor of marijuana from just standing outside the home.

Officers and investigators searched the Federal Way home and discovered indicators of a recently harvested, fully operational marijuana grow. Documents also state that multiple rooms contained grow equipment, including irrigation tables, ballasts, filters and various chemicals.

Officers discovered 188 drying marijuana plants and two large totes filled with marijuana buds. Documents state that officers retained two plants as evidence, and the rest were loaded into a truck for destruction.

According to documents, officers discovered $4,580 in cash, a SIM card and a Rolex watch on a nightstand. Officers discovered an additional $6,596 in a desk drawer, a nightstand and a black satchel. Officers also discovered 120 marijuana root balls, which they collected for destruction. Following the search, the residence was boarded up and made secure.

Documents state that when officers searched the Lakewood home, they only found Limei Huang inside, but she ran away, and officers later found her hiding under blankets. She told officers that Chen grew the plants but that she helped take care of them. Officers located a total of 580 plants, five tote bags full of marijuana and one bag of shake in the home. Additionally, officers located 62 LED light fixtures, $8,578 in cash, a Rolex watch, two vacuum sealers, two digital scales and a phone book inside the home.