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Nitrous Oxide Dealers Shut Down
LOS ANGELES – In a major crackdown on illicit nitrous oxide sales, authorities arrested three defendants and executed 26 search warrants across Southern California, alleging that the gas was being distributed solely for recreational use.
The investigation, dubbed ‘Operation No Laughing Matter,’ targeted stores across Los Angeles and Orange counties, as well as the Inland Empire, that were allegedly misbranding nitrous oxide by selling it without a prescription and in containers without proper warning labels.
Nitrous oxide, also known as ‘laughing gas,’ is a prescription drug that is inhaled by recreational users, typically from balloons filled from large, compressed cylinders. The drug can cause significant and debilitating side effects, including death, and has been linked to several adolescent fatalities in car accidents in the Los Angeles region.
The investigation, led by United States Attorney André Birotte Jr., Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, and Lisa Malinowski, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations, found that the sales of nitrous oxide as a recreational drug have dramatically increased in Southern California over the past five years.
Two criminal complaints filed in United States District Court allege that the four defendants engaged in the ‘misbranding’ of nitrous oxide by selling it for personal use without a prescription and in containers that do not include proper warning labels.
“Nitrous oxide is a dangerous inhalant when used for recreational purposes, and we want the public, especially parents, to be aware of its abuse by our youth,” said United States Attorney André Birotte Jr. “We also want those who choose to profit from the sale of nitrous oxide as a recreational drug to know that law enforcement is on your trail. We will find you, prosecute you, and convict you.”
The investigation has resulted in the shutdown of several businesses, including Victor Welding Supply on East 58th Street in South Los Angeles, and LA Rush, Inc., which operates stores in Norwalk and Huntington Park.
Those arrested include Edward Valencia, 51, of Lynwood, and Federico Valencia, 58, of South Los Angeles, both associated with Victor Welding Supply, and Rose Marie Cuellar, 20, of Florence-Graham, an employee of LA Rush, Inc. A fourth defendant, William Victor, 65, of Northridge, is currently being sought by authorities.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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