PASADENA - Officers arrested two men and seized about 200 pint-sized bottles of hash oil and 500 pounds of marijuana after an anonymous tip on Monday led police to a suspected drug lab.
"They claim to be manufacturing botanical medicine," Pasadena Police Lt. Mark Goodman said.
The incident started Monday afternoon when a tipster reported a strong odor of marijuana coming from a location in the 2500 block of Nina Street. Officers showed up at a business called The Werc Shop which police said operates at two locations on Nina Street. They served a search warrant at about 10 p.m.
"We found a manufacturing factory for hash oil or honey oil," Goodman said. He didn't know the street value of the hash oil and marijuana that were found at the business.
* Video: Hazmat disposes of hash oil, marijuana
Police detained 28 people but later released 26 who Goodman said are workers.
Jeffrey Raber, 39, of Whittier and Mark Piesner, 43, of Calabasas were arrested on suspicion in manufacturing a controlled substance. They were booked at Pasadena jail. Each posted bond for $75,000 bail and were released. Police said the two men have a court date in June.
Raber and Piesner couldn't be reached for comment on Tuesday.
On its Facebook page, The Werc Shop called itself: "The country's premier medical cannabis analytical testing laboratory. We are phytochemical and botanical experts helping everyone deliver safer medicine."
Raber is listed as a team member in The Werc Shop's web page which also identified him as having a doctorate in chemistry from USC. He's been quoted in articles related to medical marijuana. An online resource for medical marijuana patients and activists identified him as a co-founder and president of the Werc Shop.
No one answered the phone listed on The Werc Shop website. A second phone number tells callers the voice mail is full.
Police don't know how long the business has operated at Nina Street. There is no business with that name registered with the Secretary of State.
"They claim to be manufacturing botanical medicine," Pasadena Police Lt. Mark Goodman said.
The incident started Monday afternoon when a tipster reported a strong odor of marijuana coming from a location in the 2500 block of Nina Street. Officers showed up at a business called The Werc Shop which police said operates at two locations on Nina Street. They served a search warrant at about 10 p.m.
"We found a manufacturing factory for hash oil or honey oil," Goodman said. He didn't know the street value of the hash oil and marijuana that were found at the business.
* Video: Hazmat disposes of hash oil, marijuana
Police detained 28 people but later released 26 who Goodman said are workers.
Jeffrey Raber, 39, of Whittier and Mark Piesner, 43, of Calabasas were arrested on suspicion in manufacturing a controlled substance. They were booked at Pasadena jail. Each posted bond for $75,000 bail and were released. Police said the two men have a court date in June.
Raber and Piesner couldn't be reached for comment on Tuesday.
On its Facebook page, The Werc Shop called itself: "The country's premier medical cannabis analytical testing laboratory. We are phytochemical and botanical experts helping everyone deliver safer medicine."
Raber is listed as a team member in The Werc Shop's web page which also identified him as having a doctorate in chemistry from USC. He's been quoted in articles related to medical marijuana. An online resource for medical marijuana patients and activists identified him as a co-founder and president of the Werc Shop.
No one answered the phone listed on The Werc Shop website. A second phone number tells callers the voice mail is full.
Police don't know how long the business has operated at Nina Street. There is no business with that name registered with the Secretary of State.
