Photo Courtesy of the Queens DA’s Office
The proceeds of an early morning raid of the suspect’s Flushing residence.
By Forum Staff
Three Flushing residents have been charged with possessing all the materials needed for a sophisticated credit card manufacturing mill, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said on Monday, noting that during the early morning raid late last week, police also allegedly recovered hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, thousands in counterfeit U.S. currency, and approximately 480 pounds of marijuana.
Jian Zhi Chen, 29, Yue Mei Sun, 55 and Qiao Xiao, 26, were arraigned Friday on a complaint charging them with first- and second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, first-degree criminal possession of marijuana, criminal possession forgery devices, and endangering the welfare of a child. Bail was set at $350,000, and the defendants were ordered to return to court on Feb. 7.
According to the charges, on Thursday police executed a court-authorized search warrant on the defendants’ 22nd Avenue two-story home. All three defendants were present, including a baby younger than a year old. After searching the second floor, ground floor, and basement, police allegedly recovered just under $600,000 in cash, 480 one-pound packets of marijuana in vacuum-sealed plastic bags, and various credit card-making devices, including a credit card reader/writer, a credit card stamper, an embosser and more. Police also allegedly found $2,997 in counterfeit cash on the second floor of the home, forged Chinese passports, a money counter machine and more than a thousand bogus credit cards.
Additionally, during the morning raid, police also allegedly confiscated a vacuum sealer, a scale, 445 THC (the main active ingredient in cannabis) cartridges and foil cartridges that are used to add color to credit cards.
“The defendants in this case are accused of setting up a multi-faceted illegal operation dealing in bogus credit cards, counterfeit cash and drugs,” Brown said. “This brazen criminal business—set up in a residential neighborhood in a home where a child lives—will not be tolerated in Queens County. Along with the three defendants, police found a young child residing in the home. I want to commend those involved in shutting down this racket and this office will continue our commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to put an end to these criminal enterprises.”
If convicted, the three suspects face up to 15 years in prison.
“These charges reflect the increasingly sophisticated ways criminals target the good people of New York City,” Police Commissioner Jim O’Neill said on Monday as he helped Brown announced the takedown. “One thing that will never change, however, is the NYPD’s focused determination on fighting crime and keeping people safe. Everyone who lives in, works in and visits our city has an absolute right to be free from fear—and removing these criminals from our streets is another positive step toward that goal. I commend our Detective Bureau and the Queens District Attorney’s Office, whose members dedicated themselves to moving this important case forward. Together, we are making the safest large city in the nation even safer.”
