Street Value Estimated at More Than $100 Million

$100 million in PCP was seized in Culver City and Los Angeles on February 15 by the Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force, known as L.A. IMPACT.

Darryl Dwayne Burton and Lagina Bell Huckaby were arrested at the Culver City UPS store where they were allegedly trying to ship three gallons of the narcotics. Investigators detected a chemical odor emitting from the boxes being shipped and tests later confirmed the chemicals to be PCP. The boxes being shipped from Culver City were addressed to Texas. Another six gallons were found in the vehicle they were driving.

In addition to the PCP the task force seized $389,000 in cash. Search warrants were served at two Los Angeles homes and two storage facilities.

Investigators described the seizure as a major bust of a national drug-trafficking organization. They allegedly were distributing to Texas, New York and Washington D.C. The investigation stemmed from information received from Drug Enforcement Administration Agents in Los Angeles.

The huge cache of PCP totals roughly 10 million individual doses, which in the Los Angeles area sell for between $10 and $20 each.

Lt. Scott Fairfield, Deputy Director of L.A. IMPACT told the Observer that it was the largest PCP seizure that he had ever heard of, "They were shipping and moving and dealing a huge amount of product.”

According to Fairfield, Burton is believed to be associated with the Bounty Hunter Bloods, a Los Angeles Street Gang. Authorities did not reveal any connection between the street gang and the dug bust.

Fairfield said they ring had enough chemicals to produce 500 additional gallons of the narcotic.

A dangerous drug, gallon of PCP, sells for about $12-15,000 in Los Angeles while it would fetch between $35-65,000 per gallon in Texas. The wholesale value of the 130 gallons was close to $2 million, however sold individually the quantity of drugs could bring more than $100 million with 10 million individual doses. Each gallon produces an estimated 76,800 doses.

PCP is known to induce symptoms similar to schizophrenia. Users describe being in a dream-like state or out of body experiences.

L.A. IMPACT officers had been following the suspects for about a month. The drug was found at two storage facilities and several other locations along with the cash and two assault weapons.

Burton and Huckaby pleaded not guilty to felony drug charges on Friday. Burton is being held on $3 million and Huckaby on $2 million bail.

Huckably declined to reveal the location of the storage facility as the investigation was ongoing. He did confirm however the facility was outside Culver City.