Pair Jailed After Discovery of One of Two Meth Labs

A couple were arrested Friday night after authorities were tipped to a methamphetamine manufacturing laboratory concealed in their garage, La Habra police said Saturday.

Mark Truman, 38, and Gwen Gordon, 35, were arrested at their home in the 700 block of Sandalwood Avenue, La Habra Police Sgt. Phil Stufflebean said. Both were jailed on drug-related charges, Stufflebean said.

“It’s a rather nice neighborhood, and then you have this going on in a garage,” he said.

It took officials more than 12 hours to dismantle the lab and clean up the chemicals used to create the drug.

In a separate incident, a fire broke out at 1:25 p.m. Saturday in a Brea industrial complex unit believed to contain another methamphetamine lab, police said. Witnesses said they saw three men running from the building in the 500 block of West Vanguard Way--apparently after an explosion there--and described one as having flash burns on his face and arms.

Brea Police Det. Sgt. Tom Flenniken said city firefighters had extinguished the fire and were about to enter the unit when they noticed glass beakers and other equipment used to manufacture methamphetamine.

Flenniken said police have not yet talked to the renter of the unit but have begun a criminal investigation.

Methamphetamine is also known by the street names “speed” and “crank.” Although the drug’s effect is similar to cocaine, it is generally cheaper and more easily available, leading to its recent rise in popularity, officials said.

The chemicals used to make methamphetamine are extremely volatile and can pose serious health risks, officials said.