Triad Weed: The Movie – Everything You Need to Know

In August 2023, immigration reporter Jennie Taer published a leaked Department of Homeland Security (DHS) memo revealing that Asian transnational criminal organizations, also known as the Chinese Mafia, had established more than 270 drug trafficking centers in rural Maine.

These foreign criminal organizations, the memo revealed, made billions of dollars by illegally growing cannabis throughout rural Maine, taking advantage of our state’s rural nature, lax law enforcement, and laissez-faire attitude toward our neighbors. These criminal organizations used their profits to support drug trafficking and human trafficking, and sent profits back to the People’s Republic of China to support the Chinese Communist Party’s vicious anti-American activities.

That was the beginning of The Maine Wire’s largest investigative project ever.

Triad Weed: How the Chinese Mafia Infiltrated Maine

We set out to locate the Chinese marijuana farms, expose their owners, expose their financiers, and get to the bottom of how this vast criminal conspiracy spread throughout our beloved state. It may just be a coincidence, but since The Maine Wire doggedly pursued this story, law enforcement agencies have raided more than 40 illegal Chinese marijuana farms and arrested dozens of men from “New York” and women from “Massachusetts.” The surge in law enforcement activity has seriously disrupted the Chinese mob’s ability to get rich at our expense, but the state has barely begun to address the enormity of the criminal activity that continues to flourish in rural Maine.

Revealing the locations of these properties and the individuals who own them was just the tip of the iceberg in this vast criminal conspiracy. Through our investigative journalism, the Maine Wire has exposed how seemingly legitimate Maine businesses—from seafood exporters to restaurants—are connected to Chinese criminal activity. We’ve also exposed how American taxpayers are financing these real estate deals through a little-known Treasury Department program that helps foreigners acquire American land. We reported exclusively on Paul Mills, brother of Governor Janet Mills, who provides legal services to Chinese drug traffickers in Corinna. Last week, we revealed that Chinese-made toxic pesticides are making their way from China to central Maine.

But there is much, much more we need to reveal about the transnational criminal organizations operating in Maine.

We offered to share our information with the Maine State Police on multiple occasions, but they wouldn’t even meet with us. Then we decided that the story was so big, so complex, and so important for the people of Maine to understand, that we had to do more than just publish written reports about our findings. So we began the video documentary project that will culminate this month with the release of our very first documentary project.

We have decided to premiere the film in physical theaters across Maine so that Maine residents — the people most affected by this ongoing criminal conspiracy — will have the opportunity to see the film before it is introduced to a wider audience. The first screening is Friday, September 20th at the Saco Drive-In Theater on Route 1 in Saco.

Our goal is to get as many Maine residents as possible to see the documentary because we think it’s entertaining, informative, and important for the future of the state. That’s why we’ve lowered the price for the premiere to just $50 per car (and offered a refund to anyone who paid the original price of $100 per car). There’s no limit on the number of passengers per car, so feel free to carpool.

Before the film, we’ll be hosting a pre-show on the theater’s small FM transmitter for anyone who gets there early. Maine Wire Editor-in-Chief Steve Robinson talks about the investigative process behind Triad Weed, why we decided to dedicate major resources to this project, and what the future of Maine’s efforts to combat Chinese organized crime might look like.

Because we feel it’s so important for people to see this documentary, and because we understand that the economy under President Biden and Governor Mills is not exactly booming, and because a few people have been way too vocal about the cost of tickets, we are also making a limited number of parking spaces available for a smaller donation of any amount. If you can’t afford the full ticket price or are just too stingy to support quality investigative journalism, then we have our blessing to donate a dollar or even a cent for your ticket. On the other hand, if you can support our work with a larger donation, we would also greatly appreciate your support.

All proceeds from the film, from ticket sales to sponsorships, will go toward future Maine Wire journalism projects. We want to tackle other important issues in Maine with in-depth documentaries, like the opioid epidemic, the migrant crisis, the demise of our public schools, and the ongoing attempts by crony capitalists to seize Maine’s electric grid under the guise of wind and solar power. But we can’t do any of this without the support of our subscribers, readers, viewers, and donors.

As a project of the Maine Policy Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Maine Wire relies on generous donors and philanthropists to support our work. Again, to secure your movie ticket for a donation of any amount, click here. If you would like to make a donation to MPI to support Maine Wire but are unable to attend the film premiere, you may do so here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What about the ticket price?

Maine Wire has the best reporting and digital media team in the state, and they don’t work for free. Unlike some other media outlets in the state, we don’t get taxpayer support and we don’t want to hide our reporting behind a paywall. So from time to time, we have to generate some revenue. Our original price was too high, so we lowered the cost of the ticket and even offered some cheaper options. If you still have complaints, please send them to [email protected].

Will there be more opportunities to see the documentary?

Yes. We are actively seeking theaters and other venues that are willing to rent us space for a screening. Believe it or not, some venues are not exactly hospitable. If you are interested in hosting a screening or know of a suitable venue, please email us. We will travel all over the state to screen the film and host a Q&A before or after.

When will you release the film online?

We are investigating the optimal way to release the film online. Our highest priority is to reach the largest audience in a way that is as resistant to censorship as possible. There are more than a few wealthy, powerful interests that would rather this documentary not exist. And yes, we also hope to generate a little revenue from the online release.

Are there advertising opportunities available?

Yes! We have a variety of advertising and sponsorship opportunities available, including sponsorship of individual screenings and embedded ads in the final digital/online release of the film. For questions about sponsorship or advertising opportunities, please email Maine Wire Editor-in-Chief Steve Robinson.

Can I book a screening of Triad Weed?

Yes! If your political action committee, local church, Rotary club, blunt-smoking social club, men’s basketball team, neighborhood watch group, or government employee union would like to host a screening of the documentary, please let us know.

Has Robinson trained?

Yes, he has. Thanks for noticing.

Last week, Robinson hosted a Q&A on the Maine Wire Facebook page to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about the Triad Weed series. You can follow the conversation on our page.