Police from Arlington County say a man arrested Tuesday afternoon at a Bethesda shopping center was part of “a large-scale distribution network” involving marijuana sent in packages to businesses around the region.
Montgomery County police assisted in the arrest of Dat T. Ngo, of Alexandria, Virginia, after a wide-ranging investigation that was led by Arlington County police and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
The arrest happened around 12:30 p.m. at the Westwood Shopping Center on Westbard Avenue. A witness who posted on a local neighborhood listserv claimed drugs were seized from the man’s vehicle and the arrest involved both uniformed and undercover officers.
Montgomery County police Capt. David Falcinelli, commander of the Bethesda-based 2nd District, said Thursday that county officers helped make the arrest and served drug warrants, but that he couldn’t provide more details because the county police department wasn’t in charge of the investigation.
According to a press release from Arlington County police, search warrants related to Ngo and an alleged co-conspirator in Los Angeles were executed at businesses and homes throughout the Washington, D.C., region.
Ngo was charged with conspiracy to import and distribute marijuana and intent to distribute marijuana, Arlington County police spokesperson Ashley Savage said. Savage said Friday afternoon Ngo was being held in Arlington County without bond. She couldn’t confirm if Ngo was involved in one of the businesses in the Westwood Shopping Center.
Kien V. Luong allegedly was the man sending marijuana in packages from California to various businesses in the region, according to Arlington County police. Savage said Luong was arrested on the same charges as Ngo and that Luong is being held at the Los Angeles County Jail awaiting extradition to Virginia.
