Oakland baby rescued from fentanyl lab during drug bust: sheriff

(KRON) — A 3-month-old baby was rescued from an East Oakland home containing a fentanyl lab as deputies conducted a major drug bust named “Operation Bad Bunny,” investigators said. Six adults were arrested and booked into jail.

Paramedics took the baby to a children’s hospital, where she was medically evaluated and tested positive for fentanyl in her bloodstream, according to the sheriff’s office.

The infant was rescued following a long-term investigation into a drug trafficking ring suspected of operating out of East Oakland and selling kilogram quantities of fentanyl throughout the Bay Area.

Earlier this year, the Alameda County Narcotics Task Force took four suspected members of the ring into custody. More recently, ACNTF working “Operation Bad Bunny” uncovered information that a father and his adult son had “filled the void” for the arrested group, the sheriff’s office said.

On June 12, the task force executive search warrants at multiple homes in East Oakland. Three men who ran from a home on 65th Avenue were apprehended by deputies surrounding the area.

“Once inside the 1,000-square-foot home, detectives noticed a strong chemical odor emanating throughout the residence. Detectives contacted a woman who had a three-month-old daughter inside one of the bedrooms and detained her. Numerous canisters of super mannitol littered the kitchen floor. Detectives opened the door to a rear bedroom and were immediately overwhelmed by the strong chemical odors,” the sheriff’s office wrote.

ACNTF members had to wear respirators and other safety gear to process evidence found in the bedroom. Detectives said they determined the room was a fentanyl manufacturing lab with large acetone drums, mannitol containers, mechanical presses, blenders, mixers, sifters, and other products used to mix fentanyl.

The drug lab and parts of the kitchen had white fentanyl powder covering the floor and counters, the sheriff’s office said. Detectives found a freshly pressed kilogram brick of fentanyl with the words “Money Wayy” written on it.

“EMS was requested to transport the three-month-old to Children’s Hospital to have a doctor medically evaluate her for fentanyl exposure. Children’s Hospital staff informed detectives that the infant had fentanyl in her bloodstream. The medical staff admitted the child into the hospital, and CPS later took protective custody of her,” the sheriff’s office wrote.

The woman and three men were booked into Santa Rita Jail for drug charges and child endangerment.

When the task force showed up at an apartment on Loma Vista Avenue, “the rear window of the apartment was opened, and a bag containing three kilogram bricks of fentanyl was thrown out and landed on the lower level carport,” the sheriff’s office wrote.

Two men in the Loma Vista Avenue home were booked into Santa Rita Jail.

In total, over 21 kilograms of fentanyl, one handgun, and more than $15,500 in cash were seized. Six adults were arrested and booked into jail for various felonies. The three-month-old infant remains in protective custody.