Police raid suspected steroid lab

(Updated)

A section of Upper Wellington in Hamilton was closed for several hours Friday as police investigated a possible steroid lab inside a home.

This is a ‘steroid’ investigation — but it may come as a surprise that the raid was of a steroid lab. Police entered the house around 10am. They quickly arrested two people, but the chemicals that remained in the house were of major concern.

The operation was part of a multi-force, inter-provincial investigation carried out by the OPP and Hamilton police.

Scott Mills is with the OPP: “We went in looking for controlled drugs and substances, and we came across a variety of chemicals.”

Police placed the home’s occupants, a man and woman, under arrest. Upper Wellington was closed for a 500 meter radius around the house. The occupants’ white car remained in the driveway, as investigators took extreme precautions knowing that they could be dealing with dangerous chemicals.

Investigators working slowly and mythodically to remove all of the evidence. This is different from a regular crime scene. Media are asked to stay back several hundred meters because police say, when you’re dealing with chemicals, you never know what you’re going to find.”

Scott said: “They went in at the highest level of protection for bio-chemical contaminants, and they’ll de-scale as we identify what chemicals are actually present.”

That means protective suits — the Hamilton fire department, EMS, along with representatives from Health Canada were on hand to make sure everything is under control. Neighbors, however, were left wondering.

Neighbour Vince Iacozza: “I’m very shocked to be honest. We’ve never seen anyone come in or out. It’s a brand new house. We had no idea anything like that would possibly happen here — especially just a few feet from your house.”

Neighbour Esterina Iacozza: “Kind of scary, like we would have never thought that just because the houses are brand new that they’re at, so I’m just shocked.”

The investigation started in January and despite Friday’s bust, police say it remains ongoing. They are not looking for anyone else in connection with this address.

While police are cautious, they did not go so far as to evacuate the neighborhood. They said that once they take chemical and air samples, they will be able to scale down the investigation. It is only then that the road will open as police are not taking any chances.