Two men have been charged in connection with a marijuana-growing operation in Kapahulu.

Michael Cheng, 37, and his brother-in-law, Jared Martin, 40, were each charged with third-degree promotion of a harmful drug, drug paraphernalia and first-degree commercial promotion of marijuana, a class A felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

Cheng and Martin were being held at the main police cellblock Saturday in lieu of $20,000 bail.

A 37-year-old woman who was also arrested in the drug bust was released.

Police said after receiving a tip, officers obtained a search warrant and raided the house at 3215 Kaunaoa St. Thursday morning. Officers seized more than 25 pounds of marijuana, including live plants, and arrested three people who live at the home, police said.

The well-cared-for house sits behind a white wall across the street from Kapahulu Bible Church and a few steps from the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Some neighbors were surprised to learn of the alleged drug activity and described Cheng as a nice guy.

Neighbors who witnessed the raid said SWAT officers opened the garage door to reveal several young marijuana plants under fluorescent grow lights and brought down more than a dozen 5-foot-tall potted marijuana plants from an upstairs bedroom.

"I never knew we had people like that here," said neighbor Bessie Y. Fukumoto, who doesn’t know Cheng. "People are really nice."