A sizable arsenal and a clandestine drug lab were the haul of a Thursday bust by local law enforcement, according to officials. Gang Task Force Officers and the Southwest Cities S.W.A.T. Team descended upon a Battersea Road residence, in Hemet, implementing a search warrant connected with a weapons investigation.
While detaining several occupants, a Butane Honey Oil (BHO) lab, humming with production, was stumbled upon by officers. The Hemet Fire Department Hazardous Material Team and the Riverside County Department of Health Hazmat Team swooped in on in response to the discovery, said Sergeant Andrew Reynoso of the Region 3 Gang Task Force, as per a press release.
Experts from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office Marijuana Enforcement Team (RSO-MET) dismantled the lab post-haste, removing all hazardous elements. Once the property was deemed cleared of danger, evidence pointing to narcotic and weapon sales was uncovered alongside the lab. Charges relating to various narcotics and weapons infractions led to multiple arrests, taking the suspects off to a Riverside County jail.
Residents witnessed a fraction of Battersea Road cut off for hours as the operation painstakingly unfolded. The Hemet/San Jacinto Valley (Region 3) Gang Task Force, a coalition fighting criminal street gangs, includes members from the Hemet Police Department, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Highway Patrol, according to Sergeant Reynoso's statement.
Authorities have yet to release the names of those apprehended or the specifics of the charges levied. For further details on the incident, media outlets have been directed to reach out to the Media Information Bureau.
