$1.2 Million in Drugs Seized, Three Arrested, Eight Firearms Recovered
“This bust puts a big dent in the transportation, sale and use of meth in our California communities. The arrests and the seizure of weapons means we become safer in surrounding neighborhoods.”
CSLEA President Alan Barcelona
MODESTO – On March 5, 2026, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the seizure of $1.2 million in methamphetamine during the execution of a search warrant for a methamphetamine conversion lab in Turlock.
On February 27, 2026, the California Department of Justice (DOJ) assisted the Sacramento Area Intelligence and Narcotics Team (SAINT), Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation with the service of a search warrant where 280 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and eight firearms were recovered. The lab was subsequently dismantled and processed after three subjects were arrested. This bust was part of a much larger operation led by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office SAINT (Sacramento Area Intelligence Narcotics Team) and Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office CNEU (Calaveras Narcotics Enforcement Unit).
“This is truly an example of the good work that happens when multiple agencies come together for one, unified mission,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Stopping the production of illegal drugs isn’t just about law enforcement, it is about protecting families, saving lives, and defending the future of our communities. Public safety is job number one, and the California Department of Justice will continue to work for it, both in the courtroom and on the ground in our communities. Thank you to our state, local and federal partner agencies for their collaboration. I am very proud of my staff in MAGNET and the Bureau of Forensics Services who are making a difference in our state every day.”
After securing the residence and the arrests, lab-certified DOJ special agents and task force officers, equipped with appropriate personal protective equipment, processed the methamphetamine conversion lab. Inside the wooden structure, MAGNET agents located various common items associated with methamphetamine conversion laboratories. These items included propane tanks, propane burners, acetone containers, and fans. In addition, DOJ obtained forensic samples of various liquids and recovered several fingerprints for analysis. The California Department of Toxic Substances was contacted for the destruction of hazardous materials and equipment related to the lab. The Calaveras County District Attorney’s Office will be prosecuting this case.
The DOJ special agents who contributed to this investigation are a part of the Merced Area Gang & Narcotic Enforcement Team (MAGNET). This team comprises members from the California Department of Justice, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation-Special Services Unit, Merced County Sheriff’s Office, Merced Police Department, Livingston Police Department, Atwater Police Department, Merced County Probation Department, Merced County District Attorney’s Office, California Highway Patrol, California National Guard Counter Drug Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations. As part of California DOJ’s task force program, the participating agencies of MAGNET work in collaboration to combat drug trafficking organizations, violent repeat offenders and organized crime. In addition, the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Forensic Services was called upon to process the scene.
