Hash Oil Lab Found in Watsonville Neighborhood

Police made a volatile discovery Thursday evening when conducting a routine probation search at a Watsonville home. 

Officers found a lab used to manufacture hash oil in a home on the 100 block of Lassen Way. They were there looking for Edgar Rubio, who is on probation, when they discovered the drug-making facility, police reported.

Rubio wasn't home and is now wanted on suspicion of manufacturing drugs, police said. 

Lassen Way, off Pennsylvania Drive, is a densely populated neighborhood with several apartment complexes and tightly-packed town homes.

Hash oil labs have been front-page news in Santa Cruz County this fall. Two separate operations in Santa Cruz exploded since Sept. 29, critically injuring four men and also hurting two dogs. At least three of the men suffered severe burns over more than 50 percent of their bodies.

Hash oil, also called honey oil, has seen a resurgence of popularity in recent years. A spike in lab explosions has followed.

Watsonville police didn't detail what process was being used to extract the tetrahydrocannabinol (commonly called TCH) from marijuana in the lab. A popular technique involves using butane, a flammable gas. Butane was used at both Santa Cruz labs that exploded.