Arrest made in alleged San Ramon 'honey oil' operation
SAN RAMON, Calif. (KTVU) -- A hazardous materials situation had
several San Ramon homes under tense circumstances much of Tuesday as
police and crews cleaned up a potentially dangerous "honey oil"
operation at a private home.
Hazardous materials workers and law
enforcement were on Henry Lane near I-680 most of the day. Officers said
they went there investigating reports of a marijuana grow.
But
once they entered the home, they discovered chemicals that could be
unstable -- including butane tanks -- that created a dangerous
situation.
Butane can be used to make hash oil, a marijuana
derivative. It is highly explosive. A similar situation in Walnut Creek
ended a couple months ago with a huge explosion at an apartment complex
that left two people critically injured.
Police say this was a "honey oil" house. Honey oil is not unlike hash oil and the manufacturing process is very dangerous.
"The
butane tanks are dangerous because there is an explosive possibility
with those. So Contra Costa County Hazmat was notified. They responded
to the scene, worked with San Ramon Fire, and they rendered the scene
safe. At that point, there was a search warrant that was authored and
the remainder of the residence was searched," said San Ramon Police
Detective Mike Pistello.
Piestello added they found the remnants of a growing operation, but no marijuana.
"In
the home were the pressurized butane tanks, and other items that are
consistent with the extraction of honey oil from marijuana," said
Pistello.
Pistello said there was some processed honey oil.
Police arrested one man who was home at the time and identified him as 31-year-old Ahmad Wais Sulaiman.
They
said he currently is on probation. Now he is behind bars facing
numerous charges, including cultivation of marijuana and possession of
marijuana for sale.