DEPUTIES ARREST 8 IN METH LAB RAID.

Byline: Bhavna Mistry Daily News Staff Writer

Sheriff's deputies investigating a car theft discovered a drug laboratory and more than 45 pounds of methamphetamines worth $500,000 on the street, officials said Monday.

The drug, four assault weapons and eight men were found on the isolated property, which also contained a dozen chickens, five dogs and six cows.

``There were three actual sites on the property in various stages of making meth,'' said Lt. Jack Jordan, who is in charge of the vehicle theft detail. ``They had been cooking in a shed and the chemicals were stored in a chicken coop.''

The men were arrested without incident Friday at the home in the 45900 block of 188th Street East, north of Saddleback Butte State Park.

Investigators obtained a search warrant after patrol deputies stopped a car for a traffic violation, discovered it had been stolen and its vehicle identification numbers switched, and traced it back to the house.

Some of the men were making the drug when deputies arrived, and others were building a brick wall around the property, officials said.

Deputies said they found methamphetamine stored inside a catering truck, and more cooking in three 22-liter beakers.

Besides the assault weapons, deputies found an empty canister from a LAWS rocket, a military anti-tank weapon.

``It was a very good day for the Sheriff's Department and for the residents of the area,'' said Jordan. ``We were surprised to find as much as we did.''

The names of those arrested were not released. They are being held at the Men's Central Jail on suspicion of possession and manufacturing of methamphetamine and possession of illegal weapons.