LBPD released photo
[LBPD release text] Today, November 7, 2014, at approximately 1:00 A.M. the Long Beach Police and Fire Departments responded to a residence in the 4300 block of Maury Avenue in regards to a complaint of a strong chemical odor. The initial investigation at the scene led officers and firefighters to believe the smell was related to a possible clandestine laboratory. Officers quickly contained the scene and evacuated residents in the immediate area to ensure their safety during the investigation.
The Long Beach Police Department Drug Investigations Section responded along with the Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force (LA IMPACT) Clandestine Laboratory Response Team. Long Beach Detectives wrote a search warrant for the property and upon entering the residence they discovered an [alleged] active Phencyclidine (PCP) Laboratory. Several large drum containers containing PCP were located on the property.
The City of Long Beach Environmental Health Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Team responded for recovery of the chemical waste.
Edwin Van, a 48-year-old resident of Long Beach, and Vernon Thomas, a 61-year-old resident of Long Beach, were located at the residence and arrested on charges of manufacturing a controlled substance. Both Van and Thomas were taken to a local hospital to be treated for minor chemical exposure prior to their booking. Van and Thomas are currently being held at the Long Beach City Jail, each with a bail amount of $75,000.
This investigation is a collaborative effort by LA IMPACT and the Long Beach Drug Investigations Section. The case will be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
Clandestine laboratories are extremely dangerous and hazardous to your health. If you smell strong chemical odors or suspect there might be a clandestine laboratory in your area, call 9-1-1 immediately.
Anyone with information in regards to this incident who has not spoken to authorities is urged to contact Long Beach Drug Investigations Section at (562) 570-7221. Anonymous tips may be submitted by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), texting TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.
(Nov. 7, 2014, 11:55 a.m.) -- In a story that began developing in the predawn hours and is still developing approaching the noon hour, LBPD Narcotics Detectives and L.A. Impact ("Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force") Investigators are on-scene in a 7th Council district neighborhood (one block east of Orange Ave. between Carson St. and San Antonio Rd) today investigating and processing evidence in connection with what investigators say appears to be a drug lab...and two suspects have been taken into custody.
LBPD Public Information Officer Sgt. Megan Zabel tells LBREPORT.com that at about 1 a.m. (Nov. 7), LBPD officers and LBFD responded to the 4300 blk of Maury (north of Tehatchapi Rd.) regarding a chemical odor...and officers discovered chemcals that may be associated with a drug lab.
PIO Zabel indicates a few houses around the residences were evacuated for precautionary safety measures, and based on the initial investigation, it appears to responding LBPD personnel to be a drug lab.
"L.A. Impact investigators are the experts with investigating and processing drug lab scenes," PIO Zabel said in an email. "They are currently processing this scene for evidence which will be followed up by a Hazardous Materials clean up process."
Two suspects are in custody...and both are at a hospital receiving treatment for minor exposure to chemicals prior to being booked, Sgt. Zabel said.
The investigation is ongoing. Further as we learn it on LBREPORT.com.
