Red Honey, Maraschino Cherries, and a Secret Marijuana Empire in Brooklyn
New York City’s history is full of bizarre stories, but few are as strange as the saga of Dell’s Maraschino Cherries—a tale that involves beekeepers, red honey, a hidden drug empire, and a tragic ending.
In 2010, beekeepers in Red Hook, Brooklyn, noticed their bees returning with oddly colored stripes and producing bright red honey. After ruling out potential sources like MTA depots and toxic chemicals, they discovered the cause: the bees were feeding on runoff from Dell’s Maraschino Cherry Company, which used Red Dye 40 in its processing.
Rather than facing major consequences, the factory’s owner, Arthur Mondella, took expert advice to secure his waste, and the problem disappeared. However, long-standing rumors suggested something more was happening behind the factory’s walls.
In 2015, authorities raided Dell’s factory, initially investigating illegal wastewater dumping. During the search, they discovered a false wall and the smell of marijuana. As police prepared to obtain a warrant to search further, Mondella excused himself, locked himself in a bathroom, and tragically took his own life.
When investigators finally searched the hidden space, they uncovered a massive 2,500-square-foot marijuana operation—the largest indoor grow in New York City at the time—complete with high-end cultivation equipment, luxury cars, and stacks of cash.
Sources:
