North Edwards Conversion Lab
September 4, 2025 – Kern County Sheriff’s Office officials report that a search warrant resulted in the seizure of approximately 762 pounds of methamphetamine and additional 100 pounds of methamphetamine in solution, the dismantlement of a large methamphetamine conversion lab in a rural residential property in North Edwards, California and the arrest of three (3) suspects.
On September 3, 2025, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, Kern County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (KC-HIDTA), with the assistance from personnel assigned to the LAPD Hollenbeck Narcotics Task Force, personnel from the Kern County District Attorney’s Office Investigations Unit, and Wardens from the Department of Fish and Wildlife concluded a narcotics investigation with the execution of search warrant at a rural property in the 19500 blk of Desert View, North Edwards.
During the investigation, Rigoberto Lugo-Flores, (age 48) and Jesus Alfredo-Quintero, (age 32) both from Culiacan Sinaloa, Mexico and Juventino Torres (age 48), from Michoacan, Mexico were quickly apprehended as they attempted to flee the property where detectives located the methamphetamine conversion lab. All three suspects were subsequently arrested for their involvement in the conspiracy to operate the clandestine methamphetamine conversion lab and for possession of marijuana for sales.
Kern County Environmental Health and Kern County Code Compliance assisted in the investigation and conducted investigations respected to the dangerous chemicals/ hazards present at the conversion lab. This investigation resulted in the dismantling of a large-scale clandestine methamphetamine conversion lab/operation.
Rigoberto Lugo-Flores, Jesus Alfredo-Quintero, and Juventino Torres were all booked into the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, Lerdo Justice facility for the following charges: manufacturing a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of sales, maintaining a residence/place for drug sales, possession of marijuana for sales and conspiracy to commit a crime. Rigoberto Lugo-Flores was also charged with possession of a controlled substance while being armed with a loaded handgun.
Source & photos: Kern County Sheriff’s Office
