Four men face charges after 27-pound marijuana bust

Four men accused of receiving 27 pounds of marijuana by mail appeared Friday in DuPage County bond court on drug-trafficking charges.

David Byun, 29, of Round Lake; Brian Panezich, 29, of Lake Zurich; and Landry Park, 29, and Ted Park, 32, both of Arlington Heights, each were held on $500,000 bail.

Prosecutors said the men were arrested Thursday after a drug-sniffing dog alerted on a package at a UPS store in Bensenville. Investigators with the DuPage Metropolitan Enforcement Group later watched as Byun picked up the package and left in a vehicle driven by Panezich, Assistant State’s Attorney Anne Therieau said. Police found 12 pounds of marijuana in the package after a traffic stop

During the investigation, Byun admitted receiving drug shipments addressed to a fake company he set up and told officers Landry Park retrieved a second package earlier on Thursday, prosecutors said.

That led police to review surveillance footage, which showed Park picking up a package described in court as a “large trash bag inside a laundry basket.” Therieau said Landry and Ted Park, whom she identified as cousins, were seen with the package when police arrived at their apartment a short time later.

In the second package, authorities found 15 pounds of marijuana. Therieau said Landry Park also had cocaine on him and more than 30 grams inside the apartment.

Authorities said Byun, Panezich and Landry Park all admitted their roles in the scheme, telling officers they were paid marijuana or cash for retrieving drug shipments. One defendant told police the drugs were to be delivered to a person in Chicago.

Judge Elizabeth Sexton set bail at $500,000 for all four suspects, meaning they would each have to post $50,000 to bond out of jail. They return to court later this month.