HOUSTON - Houston police have made what they're calling the city's largest kush seizure since enforcement initiatives began.
Nearly 600 pounds of the synthetic drug were seized, worth about $2.5 million. The operation also put two suspected manufacturers behind bars.
Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo said that up until now, the department has been targeting distributors. Now, he says they're going after manufacturers putting "poison" on the streets.
"The substance was laced with paint thinner. So when we're telling young people and the people that would use this stuff that they're actually ingesting poison, we're not making it up." said Chief Acevedo.
Police brought some of the nearly 100,000 doses seized to a press conference Thursday held by the police chief, Mayor Turner and District Attorney Kim Ogg.
The seizure came from a six-month long operation.
Two men, Mohamed Moton and Ataur Malik, have been charged with delivery of synthetic cannabinoids. Police say the organization was allegedly making and distributing kush not only around Houston, but also around Austin and Corpus Christi.
The police chief said the drugs were found inside of an unfurnished home used just for the operation.
"A word of caution to those still doing this stuff: Quit or move out of the city of Houston while you still can." said Chief Acevedo.
Both men are in jail on a $300,000 bond.
A third suspect was arrested in Fort Bend County in connection with the operation as well.
Residents in the neighborhood watched as officers took bag after bag out of the home.
"There's nothing in there. It was vacant. There was curtains along the window. I knew they were cooking something." said Diana Clark, a neighbor.
"My granddaughter come in crying talking about 'mama they got cops with guns to this man on the ground.'" she said.
The suspects are due in court Friday morning.
