300,000 pills seized in raid on Fountain Valley drug lab

While investigating a 26-year-old Buena Park resident, authorities discovered a “secret drug lab” full of suspected fentanyl pills and other drugs, police said.

The Buena Park Police Department's Community Impact Team was investigating a suspected drug manufacturing and distribution operation Wednesday when they came across the lab in the 10600 block of Ellis Street in Fountain Valley. The lab was located in a warehouse.

Although they knew that something might be hidden at this location, the police were surprised by the scale of the operation.

“I don't think they realized it was going to be this big,” said Sergeant Jon Shaddow of the Buena Park Police Department.

Shaddow said it was the largest drug lab raid in the department's recent history.

The Fountain Valley site turned out to be a secret drug lab containing approximately 300,000 suspected fentanyl pills, other drugs and drug-making machinery.

(Buena Park Police Department)

The laboratory contained around 300,000 pills that were believed to be fentanyl, the agency said. Other drugs and machines used to make drugs were also found.

Photos released by police showed Ziploc bags full of orange pills, as well as additional bags full of turquoise and white pills.

The department called in the Orange County Department of Environmental Health's Hazardous Materials Team to assist in handling the deadly drugs.

The police arrested the 26-year-old but did not release his name, citing ongoing investigations.