Glendale residents charged in bust on alleged synthetic drug operation

Three Glendale residents were among 16 people indicted in Los Angeles for their alleged involvement in manufacturing and distributing synthetic drugs commonly referred to as “spice,” federal officials said.

Glendale resident Faisal Iqbal, 34, and his wife, Sana Faisal, 32, were arrested Wednesday, while Iqbal’s 65-year-old father, Mohammad Iqbal, who was also indicted, is a fugitive believed to be in Pakistan.

The father and son are suspected of operating businesses in the skid row area of Los Angeles to facilitate and oversee the production and sale of the drug, sold wholesale to bodegas and convenience stores under names like “Crazy Monkey” and “Mad Monkey,” according to the federal indictment.

Packaged in bright colors with cartoon labels, the drug, produced to mimic the high of marijuana, is designed to attract teenagers who can’t legally buy pot, but federal officials said it’s extremely dangerous.

Though the drug is labeled as “potpourri” with disclaimers like “not for human consumption,” and “DEA compliant,” federal officials said the defendants knew the drugs were being sold for human consumption.

One of their co-defendants, North Hollywood resident Fidencio Garcia, 25, allegedly tested the drug by smoking samples to make sure they were of “sufficient quality,” according to the indictment.

To manufacture the drug, chemicals — analogues of controlled substances — are often mixed with acetone to create a mixture that’s then sprayed onto plants, like marshmallow leaves, to create synthetic marijuana, according to court records.

The products were allegedly sold to customers in multiple states, including California, Arizona, Georgia, Texas, Colorado, South Carolina and Utah. The trio is also accused of attempting to hide their profits.

The indictment was part of a nationwide crackdown on synthetic drug distribution that included an operation in Los Angeles that targeted three organizations that allegedly manufactured and distributed thousands of kilograms of synthetic cannabinoids.