CLEARLAKE — According to Sgt. Steve Brooks, Lake County Sheriff”s Office (LCSO) public information officer, the Narcotics Task Force (NTF) recently located four methamphetamine labs at the Eastlake Landfill in Clearlake.
Brooks said at approximately 12:30 p.m. on March 22, the NTF responded to the landfill at the request of the Lake County Fire Protection District HazMat Team. The HazMat Team responded to the landfill after the operator of a bulldozer ran over a black plastic garbage bag as he was moving garbage. The contents of the bag allegedly began to off-gas, which produces a large visible chemical cloud.
Narcotics detectives located several two-liter bottles containing both solid and liquid materials. “Based on the detectives” training and experience, it was determined that the bottles were used to manufacture methamphetamine, using what is referred to as the Birch Reduction system,” Brooks said. “A search of the trash by both the Lake County HazMat Team and narcotics detectives, were unable to provide any leads as to who was responsible for the labs. They were also unable to locate any additional items associated with the manufacturing of methamphetamine.”
Anyone with information that can assist the NFT with this effort is encouraged to call the anonymous tip-line at 263-3663.
