The Antelope Valley Times

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Six arrested in million dollar meth bust

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Deputies recovered five pounds of methamphetamine in the trunks of two separate vehicles that were stored on the property.
Deputies recovered five pounds of methamphetamine in the trunks of two separate vehicles that were stored on the property.

LANCASTER – Two women and four men, all Hispanic, were arrested on various drug charges Wednesday in an early morning raid at a Lancaster ranch, which uncovered five pounds of methamphetamine and a cockfighting ring, according to Lancaster Sheriff’s Station spokesman Michael Rust.

Deputies say 15 people, including seven children, lived in deplorable conditions on the property.
Deputies say 15 people, including seven children, lived in deplorable conditions on the property.

Rust said the investigation began quite some time ago, when three patrol deputies got information that there were possible narcotics sales going on from the house on the 46200 block of 30th street east. Based on this information, deputies were able to obtain a search warrant.

Rust said around 6 a.m. Wednesday, deputies executed the search warrant and uncovered approximately five pounds of methamphetamine in the trunks of two separate vehicles that were stored on the property. The methamphetamine has an estimated “Street Value” of nearly one million dollars, Rust said. Deputies also recovered several firearms from the location and came across about 100 roosters believed to be used for cockfighting, according to the evidence found.

Deputies came across about 100 roosters believed to be used for cockfighting.
Deputies came across about 100 roosters believed to be used for cockfighting.

“They had steroids, sparring muffs, leather-covered balls that they strap on the roosters’ legs for training, and all kinds of performance enhancement vitamins and things that they feed these roosters to make them better fighters,” Rust said.

Rust said the property consisted of one primary structure, surrounded by various out-buildings and sheds where 15 people, including seven children, lived in deplorable conditions.

“The overall living conditions for all of the people there were pretty bad,” said Rust. “Some people were sleeping in abandoned cars on the property and there were some sheds that had dirt floors that people were living in with these kids.”

Seven children ranging in age from four to 17 years old, who were living on the property, were taken into protective custody by the Department of Children’s Services based on the poor living conditions and the illegal activity at the location, Rust said.

Officials have not yet released the names of the two female adults and 4 male adults arrested at the property because the investigation is still ongoing. The entire investigation is being handled by narcotics detectives from the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station.