FOLLOWING a motion from the Office of the Attorney General, Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho dismissed with prejudice the local drug case against Yuzhu Zhang.
Judge Camacho also vacated the jury trial scheduled for March 27.
Assistant Attorney General Steven Kessel, in the motion, stated that they are dismissing the case because the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Districts of Guam and the NMI has filed a similar criminal complaint against Zhang.
The defendant has been charged in federal court with one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance on or about March 19, 2022, Kessel said.
He said a federal arrest warrant was issued against Zhang, and “acts as a detainer” against the defendant.
Kessel noted that the local court on Feb. 13, 2023 issued an order denying in part and granting in part the defendant’s motion to suppress evidence.
“In its order, the [local] court ruled that potential key evidence the government intends to use at trial to establish Zhang was involved in the trafficking of controlled substances was inadmissible,” Kessel said.
Zhang, 48, was accused of attempting to smuggle from California, through mail, 4.9 pounds of methamphetamine. The seized methamphetamine contraband had a street value of approximately $700,000, authorities said.
In CNMI Superior Court, he was charged with importation of contraband, trafficking and possession of a controlled substance.
Each charge is punishable up to a maximum of 25 years’ imprisonment.
The Public Defender’s Office represented Zhang.
