LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Lake County Narcotic Task Force operation on Friday resulted in the confiscation of hundreds of methamphetamine pipes, thousands of nitrous oxide canisters and more than a dozen weapons.

Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office said that on Friday Narcotic Task Force detectives executed a series of search warrants throughout Lake County for retail “smoke shops” illegally selling methamphetamine glass pipes and for distribution of nitrous oxide gas for the purposes of intoxication.

Brooks said warrants were served at the two “Cheaper Cigarettes” locations on Lakeshore Drive and Olympic Drive in Clearlake, “Ed and Linda’s” on Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake, “Smoke on the Water” on Highway 20 in Lucerne and Mystic Barrel on Highway 20 in Nice.

Employees at two of the locations actually sold glass methamphetamine pipes to undercover detectives just prior to the raids, Brooks said.

During the search, narcotics detectives located a total of 803 glass methamphetamine smoking pipes, two 12 gauge shotguns, a .380 auto pistol and a .22 revolver, Brooks said.

In addition, Brooks said detectives seized 3,812 nitrous oxide canisters along with the canister “crackers” and balloons for inhalation.

He said criminal complaints are being sought for the owners of each establishment and several employees for selling/furnishing drug paraphernalia and distribution of nitrous oxide. A potential penalty for a violation of these sections is the revocation of the issued business license.

The firearms were seized, due to the fact that the person in possession was unable to explain where they came from and she was not the registered owner, Brooks said.

Sheriff Brian Martin expressed his dismay that business owners would try to profit by selling methamphetamine smoking pipes to members of our community.

“The methamphetamine epidemic that plagues our community contributes to countless quality of life issues, and brings additional crime to our neighborhoods,” Martin said. “Our deputy sheriffs and police officers work around the clock battling the effects of drug abuse in Lake County. We will take every action available to ensure that commercial dealers of paraphernalia are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

California and federal law make it illegal to use nitrous oxide as a recreational drug to get high. It is also a misdemeanor to be under the influence of nitrous oxide deliberately, unless the gas was administered for medical, surgical, or dental care by a licensed person, such as a dentist, Brooks said.