2 Simi Valley Detectives Honored for Role in Bust

Two Simi Valley police detectives have received a national award for their work with federal agents on a two-year investigation that led to the bust of one of the largest drug rings that made and sold an animal tranquilizer popular on the rave scene.

Richard Lamb and Kevin Duncan were among several law enforcement agents honored this month at a Washington ceremony for their role in the cross-border investigation that netted massive amounts of the drug Ketamine, known on the streets as Special K, vitamin K and Kit Kat.

The two detectives, who have a combined 31 years with the Simi Valley Police Department, received the award for investigative excellence from the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Their involvement in the case began more than two years ago on a tip that someone was selling steroids and Ketamine from a Simi Valley gym, Lamb said.

When the detectives realized the scope of the ring -- which involved the manufacturing of the pills in Mexico and their distribution in the United States -- federal agents and San Diego investigators joined the case.

However, Lamb and Duncan remained involved, and they were on the scene in October for a cross-border raid that netted $2 million in cash and assets and 600,000-plus vials of the drug.