Drug Bust Near Murrieta Nets 400 Plants, 100 Lbs Processed Pot

MURRIETA, CA — Two men are out of custody awaiting a court hearing in connection to their involvement with an illegal marijuana grow found near Murrieta last week, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department and jail booking records.

Both Cung Nim, 44, and Sonny Nim, 48, were arrested on Friday afternoon at a property in the 45000 block of Vista Del Mar in the unincorporated community of De Luz, at the southwestern end of the county, sheriff's Sgt. Jon Wade said. Both are residents of Los Angeles.

According to Wade, sheriff's officials had been monitoring the property for a week before serving a search warrant.

"During the investigation deputies located and removed: approximately 400 marijuana plants in various stages of growth and approximately 100 pounds of finished, processed and packaged marijuana," Wade said in a news release.

Wade said Cung Nim and Sonny Nim "were actively maintaining and processing the illegal marijuana grow."

Cung Nim also has an outstanding felony warrant for burglary, according to jail records.

Both suspects were booked into the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta but were released after posting bail. Sonny Nim is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 20, according to booking records. A date for Cung Nim was not immediately available.

— City News Service contributed to this report.