The Los Angeles Times is reporting that two individuals have been arrested in Los Angeles County in what law enforcement officials are describing as a huge PCP operation.
PCP is the acronym for the drug 1-(1-phencyclohexyl) piperdine. It’s chemical name is more commonly known as phencyclidine, and outside of chemistry labs and courts of law is known as Angel Dust, Supergrass, Boat, Tic Tac, Zoom, or Sherm.
This would be an usually large amount of PCP for a single arrest. To put 130 gallons in context, California law provides various quantity-based sentencing enhancements for the possession and manufacture of PCP. Thus, for example, under California Health and Safety Code Section 11370.4(b), three years are added to a sentence if the amount of PCP exceeds 30 liters, or roughly 8 gallons. Given the amounts of PCP that are alleged to be involved here, and given that California law prohibits the sale, possession, transportation and manufacture of PCP, as well as the manufacture of certain chemicals that are thought to be precursors of PCP, these are very serions charges.
The most unusual aspect of the arrests in Los Angeles and Culver City is the alleged amount of PCP involved. The LA Times story, written by Sam Allen, indicates that 130 gallons were seized. It is important to remember that this Los Angeles Times story was based entirely on information supplied by police or prosecutors, they have an interest in painting the most extreme and damaging picture of the defendants as possible. In other words: Don’t believe everything you read.
More facts in this case will come out and those arrested should be presumed innocent.