Red Honey, Maraschino Cherries, and a Secret Marijuana Empire in Brooklyn
In 2010, beekeepers in Red Hook, Brooklyn, noticed something unusual. Their bees were returning with red streaks on their bodies, and the honey they produced was bright red.
The beekeepers investigated possible sources and eventually traced the color to runoff from Dell’s Maraschino Cherry Company. The factory used Red Dye 40 in its cherry-processing operation, and bees were apparently feeding on the sugary waste. After the factory secured its waste following expert advice, the red honey problem stopped.
That was not the end of the story.
In 2015, authorities raided the factory as part of an investigation into illegal wastewater dumping.
During the search, they found a false wall and detected the smell of marijuana. As police prepared to obtain a warrant for a more extensive search, factory owner Arthur Mondella went into a bathroom and died by suicide.
Investigators later searched the concealed area and found a roughly 2,500-square-foot marijuana-growing operation. It contained cultivation equipment, luxury cars, and large amounts of cash. At the time, authorities described it as the largest indoor marijuana grow discovered in New York City.
The red honey and the marijuana operation were separate discoveries years apart, but both became part of the unusual history of a maraschino cherry factory in Brooklyn.
Sources
The New York Times, “In Mystery (and Culture Clash), Some Brooklyn Bees Turn Red”
Grist, “Brooklyn’s red bees, Maraschino cherries, and a collision of cultures”
ABC News, “Maraschino Cherry Tycoon: The Secret Drug Lair New York City Police Uncovered”
The New York Times, “The Fall of the Cherry King”
DNAinfo, “Cherry Factory Owner Kills Self During Probe That Uncovered Huge Pot Stash”
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