Authorities arrest five, seize $4.5 million in meth

RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Authorities seized 80 pounds of methamphetamine estimated to have a street value of $4.5 million and arrested five people in a raid on a drug lab believed to be producing commercial volumes for a Mexican cartel.

The methamphetamine was found in powder, paste and liquid form at three plots in Good Hope, an unincorporated area about 70 miles southeast of Los Angeles, said Riverside County Sheriff's Sgt. Steve Rinks.

The lab was producing the illegal synthetic drug in a trailer and two large wooden sheds, and had been in operation for about a year, Rinks said.

Deputies who seized the drugs Saturday wore face masks and protective suits because of the danger from explosive and toxic chemicals used. Rinks said large amounts of chemical waste had been dumped in several pits, and the cleanup is expected to cost about $60,000.