In late 2020, authorities uncovered an extensive illegal marijuana growing operation on Navajo Nation land in New Mexico, allegedly run by Dineh Benally, his father Donald Benally and Irving Rea Yui Lin. The operation reportedly involved Chinese investors and migrant workers who later filed a lawsuit claiming they were subjected to forced labour conditions after being recruited under false pretences. The case has now escalated to federal charges, with the defendants accused of illegal cultivation, labour exploitation and environmental violations, including water pollution of the San Juan River. The operation has reportedly caused significant damage to Navajo farmland and water resources, with the Navajo Division of Public Safety stating that the pesticides have created 'an imbalance and disharmony for the Dine' people and their land'.