What started as a hit and run with an assault investigation in Whittier on Friday ended with two arrests and the discovery of a sizeable chemical drug manufacturing lab tucked inside an industrial building in Santa Fe Springs. A pungent, unexplained odor in the area had already drawn fire crews, and that strange smell helped steer detectives straight to the operation.
According to NBC Los Angeles, officers were called around 2:10 p.m. to the 9600 block of Santa Fe Springs Road for a report of an assault with a deadly weapon involving a vehicle, essentially an assault that doubled as a hit and run. Fire personnel were already on scene checking out the suspicious odor. Officers later found the suspect vehicle parked at Presbyterian Inter-Community Hospital in Whittier, where they took one suspect into custody after an extensive search of the surrounding area. Investigators said that during follow-up work, evidence pointed them to a nearby industrial unit, where a second person was arrested.
Warehouse Tied To Chemical-Heavy Clandestine Lab
Detectives ultimately traced the investigation to an industrial unit at 9620 Santa Fe Springs Road, where officers said they found a clandestine lab with a heavy chemical setup. PropertyShark lists the site as a one-story light manufacturing warehouse in the heart of Santa Fe Springs’ industrial zone. Officials did not immediately release information about what specific drugs they believe were being produced or how large the operation might be.
Hazmat Teams Brought In For Careful Chemical Cleanup
A specialized task force trained to recognize and dismantle hazardous narcotics lab chemicals was called in to catalog and take apart the operation, and authorities said that work was still underway. As NBC Los Angeles noted, those teams typically come from regional narcotics or hazardous materials units, since clandestine labs often rely on volatile solvents and toxic reagents that can ignite, explode, or contaminate surrounding areas if handled carelessly. Federal and local agencies have coordinated similar multi-agency takedowns across California this year, according to the DEA, which recently highlighted a large clandestine lab seizure in a separate case.
Investigation Still Active As Prosecutors Weigh Case
Authorities have not yet released the names of the two people arrested or any specific charges, describing the case as part of an ongoing investigation. By early evening, the Whittier Police Department’s public news page had not posted a full written release, and officials were urging anyone with information to contact the department. Investigators said the process of identifying all the chemicals at the site and safely dismantling the lab could take days, and prosecutors will review the evidence before deciding whether to file charges.
