U.S. Drug Agents Arrest 9 in N. California Raids

Nine people have been arrested in connection with a multimillion-dollar drug ring that manufactured methamphetamine, or speed, from at least two Northern California locations, officials said.

The suspects were being held without bail Friday after their U.S. District Court arraignments were postponed until Tuesday.

“Their’s was a very sophisticated organization that has been involved in the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine,” said Bert Bruce, a U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency agent in charge of the federal, state and local task force that made the arrests.

Bruce said the ring had the capability of manufacturing each week as much as 300 pounds of speed, which has a wholesale value of $3 million.

The nine arrests were made Thursday in Sacramento, Stockton, Richmond and Oregon House, a foothill community about 65 miles north of Sacramento. Drug agents also seized a methamphetamine lab in Oregon House. Bruce said it was not operating at the time but contained enough chemicals to make about 200 pounds of speed.