A major Mississippi drug bust has led to the arrest of five California men and the seizure of more than 1,800 pounds of marijuana.

The arrests were made Sunday in Hattiesburg following a joint investigation by the Hattiesburg Police Department (HPD), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and several Pine Belt law enforcement agencies. During the execution of a search warrant, officers seized approximately 1,839 pounds of marijuana and $148,000 in illicit proceeds, according to the HPD.

The suspects arrested were:

• Weiying Zhong, 40
• Dong Hong, 37
• Ligang Duan, 49
• Kaihua Yu, 45
• Xin Zhao, 23

Authorities charged Zhong and Zhao with trafficking controlled substances, while Zhao faced an additional charge of conspiracy to traffic marijuana. Hong, Duan, and Yu were charged with conspiracy to commit a felony.

On Tuesday, bond was set for each suspect at $35,000 for drug trafficking charges and $5,000 for conspiracy charges.

HPD credited the Forrest County, Lamar County, and Covington County sheriff’s offices, as well as the Waynesboro Police Department, for their assistance in the operation.

The investigation highlights the importance of interagency collaboration in combating drug trafficking, authorities said.