Countywide : 3 Arrested During 4-City Drug Sweep

More than 70 local, state and federal law enforcement agents combed residences in four Ventura County cities Tuesday searching for methamphetamine and methamphetamine labs, authorities said. But police did not find any labs or large quantities of the synthetic stimulant, Oxnard Police Sgt. Joe Munoz said.

Officers arrested three people on suspicion of possessing dangerous drugs and found one firearm during the 7 a.m. search of eight sites in Oxnard, Ojai, Camarillo and Port Hueneme, he said.

Oxnard police and the state Department of Justice’s Clandestine Laboratory Task Force coordinated the three-month investigation, Munoz said.

Munoz said police believe that the manufacturer under investigation sets up a lab, produces the product, dismantles the lab and then stores the methamphetamine in various sites.

He said any labs had probably been torn down before the search warrants were served.

Arrested on suspicion of possessing methamphetamine were Ronald Burke, 32, of Ojai; Donald Williams, 43, of Oxnard, and Steve Williams, 28, of Port Hueneme. They were being held at the Ventura County Jail in lieu of $5,000 bail each.

Tran Van Thitu, 28, of Oxnard was arrested on outstanding traffic warrants.

Participating in the searches were the Ventura Police Department, Port Hueneme Police Department, Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, Ventura County district attorney’s office, California State Police, federal Drug Enforcement Agency and federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.