OKLAHOMA CITY — A massive, international crime ring with deep ties to Oklahoma has been taken down, according to Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond.
Drummond held a news conference at the state capitol building, applauding the work of 27 law enforcement agencies taking part in Operation Blunt Force.
The operation investigation, he says, began in March of 2024. A multi-county grand jury indictment came down in November of 2025. In January of 2026, 20 suspects were arrested, including the alleged ring leader, Hao Chen.
Chen is in jail in Rikers Island, New York.
The arrest includes eight Oklahomans.
Drummond says this drug trafficking, money laundering and racketeering ring used a straw ownership scheme to illegally obtain medical marijuana licenses from the state of Oklahoma. Drummond says the people who paid to lend their identities, violating the residency requirement and concealing grow ownerships.
Drummond, who claims 9,000 illegal operations have been taken down during his tenure, says this fight is not over.
“This was both an interstate and international crime organization, and frankly, we crushed it,” he said. “Let me be clear, we are not done. We will hunt them down and eradicate the cancer from our communities and we will keep going until every syndication and cartel is driven from the state of Oklahoma.”
Exactly where these grows were located in Oklahoma has not been made yet clear, but the investigation included multiple agencies in Central Oklahoma (Caddo, Canadian, Kingfisher Counties), as well as the Lawton and Enid areas.
During the press conference, Drummond was also asked how he felt about the legalization of medical marijuana in Oklahoma. To that, Drummond said Oklahoma is the “wild west,” and that we were “asleep at the switch” when it was legalized. He said now that it’s here, we have to find that balance.
In addition to the 20 arrests, Drummond says four suspects were deported.
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