houston – Four men were jailed Monday night in a suspected drug lab raid in northwest Houston.
Investigators believe they were creating pills that looked like Xanax or Adderall and spiked them with the deadly fentanyl.
The business on Sussex Lane, near Gessner Road, has a food truck parked in front of it and a sign that says it is a slingshot or tuk-tuk rental business.
“These things are extremely dangerous to the community,” said the Texas DPS Lt. Craig Cummings said. “The purpose of their manufacture of the pills is to distribute them in the community.”
During the raid, investigators found approximately 17 pounds of chemicals used to make fentanyl. They also seized three pill presses and more than three pounds of fake Xanax and Adderall tablets believed to contain fentanyl. Adderall pills are also thought to contain methamphetamine, according to the DPS.
“The end product is a pill that looks like what you’d get at a pharmacy,” says Lt. Cummings. “A person taking fentanyl may not have enough time to call 911 for help … This chemical is very deadly.”
The raid also seized more than 4 pounds of cocaine, 44 pounds of hydrogenated marijuana, four guns and a stolen car, according to DPS.
“We’ve been successful every time we’ve had the chance to take a place like this,” said Lt. Cummings said. “We are here to address this crisis that affects Harris County and the entire state of Texas.”
Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, killed 1,672 Texans in 2021, according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
Police have arrested four men in connection with a suspected drug lab. All four had prior criminal records in Harris County, court records show.
Stanley Keith Williams, 57, was charged with possessing and attempting to deliver a controlled substance on $70,000 bond. Gary Wayne Odoms, 53, was charged with tampering with government records. James Earl Williams, 62, was charged with possession of a controlled substance. Keith Boxhill, 45, was charged with evading arrest and tampering with evidence.
Boxhill, also known as Keith Hill, fled during the investigation, according to court records. Cummings said.
All four men have been released from prison, according to prison records.
Virgil Thomas, who has been living across the street from a suspected drug lab for the past year and a half, thinks something is wrong.
“You have a food truck that’s never going anywhere, they never sell food, and they don’t lease many of those vehicles, so you can’t possibly make money,” he said. “Non-stop in and out of traffic all night.”
He said Sunday brought the most activity to the neighborhood.
“I’m happy because it’s going to be a lot quieter here,” he said.
According to Lt. Cummings, many of these operations may appear to be business as usual, but activity in or around them may indicate that something else is going on.
If you suspect anything suspicious, you can report it anonymously with a photo using the iWatchTexas iPhone or Android app or website.
Copyright 2023 KPRC Click2Houston – All Rights Reserved.