Dangerous illegal hash oil operation raided in Teller County

More space and tall trees between houses make it easy to conceal an illegal drug operation but on Thursday it didn’t stop the Teller County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies seized nearly $500,000 worth of materials and equipment in what’s believed to be the largest operation of its kind in county history.

“I showed pictures of it to someone at the Colorado Springs Police Department and he said he’s never seen so much in one place,” said Cmdr. Greg Couch of the Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities raided a home on South Forty Drive, just west of Woodland Park, around 9:30 Thursday morning, and found evidence of marijuana growing and processing, as well as a lab for producing hash oil.

The oil is a concentrated form of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, that is hardened, broken into small pieces and smoked in the same manner as crack cocaine.

“But the chemicals equated in processing are very volatile and can cause explosions,” Couch said. “Around 30 people a year in Colorado die from the explosions.”

Couch said the home had to be aired out before authorities could enter because of the intensity of chemical fumes inside.

Investigators wore breathing masks as they gathered evidence at the home.

Federal agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration also were at the scene.

One neighbor said she never saw suspicious activity at the home and never smelled chemicals coming from it.

“We heard sirens while we were having breakfast,” the neighbor said. “I thought they were awfully close. I’m surprised that this could happen. I don’t know the people who live there.”

Couch said two people live at the home; one was arrested in Iowa and the other remains at large.

“We’d been watching the home for about two weeks,” he said. “We’d been getting tips about it. Today, we decided to serve a search warrant.”