'Clandestine' drug lab busted in Fountain Valley, 300,000 pills seized

Authorities investigating a 26-year-old Buena Park resident discovered a "clandestine drug lab" chock-full of suspected fentanyl pills and other drugs, police announced.

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

While they knew there might be something at the location, the size of the operation surprised police.

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

Shaddow said it was the biggest drug lab takedown in recent history for the department.

The lab contained about 300,000 pills suspected to be fentanyl, the department said. Other drugs and machines used to make drugs were also found.

Photos released by the Police Department showed Ziploc bags full of orange pills, as well as other bags filled with turquoise and white pills.

The department called in the Orange County Environmental Health Hazardous Materials Team to help them deal with the deadly drugs.

Police arrested the 26-year-old, though they did not release his name, citing the ongoing investigation.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times .