GARDEN GROVE : 2 Men Held After Raid on ‘Speed’ Lab

Garden Grove police, backed by Long Beach officers, seized $1 million worth of methamphetamines and some highly explosive fireworks and arrested two men Friday after raiding a “speed” lab at a home near Cal State Long Beach.

The two-week investigation, headed by Garden Grove investigators and the state Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement agents, led to the arrests of David Gerritsen, 24, and his brother, Thomas, 22, at their rented home at 1830 Vuelta Grande Ave., around 8 a.m. Friday, authorities said. Garden Grove officers became involved when they apparently received a tip about the drugs.

Authorities serving the search warrant discovered that the brothers had turned a bedroom into a methamphetamine lab, police said.

“About 20 pounds of methamphetamines were still ‘cooking,’ and the lab was fully operated at the time” of the raid, Long Beach Police Sgt. Steve Laing said.

Neighbors were evacuated, and firefighters and an Orange County bomb squad were sent to the scene when police discovered some M-1000 fireworks in a closet behind the lab, Laing said. M-1000s are highly explosive military firecrackers commonly used to simulate combat conditions. No injuries were reported during the evacuation.

The Gerritsens were booked at Long Beach jail on suspicion of manufacturing drugs, possession of drugs for sale, and possession of chemicals and firearms. Bail was set at $500,000 for each man.