Record-setting fentanyl lab uncovered in Baton Rouge; man arrested

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - The largest fentanyl manufacturing laboratory ever discovered in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s four-state New Orleans Field Division was uncovered in Baton Rouge following a three-month investigation, according to the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office.

CREDIT: East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office (EBRSO) Torrey Lewis Jr. (EBRSO) Deputies said the discovery led to the arrest of 34-year-old Torrey Lewis Jr. on Thursday, Nov. 12, after investigators executed search warrants at three properties connected to a suspected drug trafficking operation.

The DEA’s New Orleans Field Division covers Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi.

CREDIT: East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office (EBRSO) Investigators discovered the laboratory at Cottage Hill Drive, where they found professional-grade equipment valued at approximately $250,000, along with chemicals associated with fentanyl production.

DEA chemists confirmed the presence of fentanyl on laboratory equipment and the surrounding floor.

Authorities said a reactor inside the lab contained approximately 58 liters of liquid. According to preliminary estimates, that amount could potentially produce up to 127 pounds of fentanyl powder, representing an estimated 568,960 potentially fatal doses, if successfully synthesized.

The investigation began after Louisiana State Police contacted EBRSO narcotics agents about a significant fentanyl seizure. Troopers identified Lewis as a suspected supplier, prompting deputies to conduct surveillance over the next three months.

CREDIT: East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office (EBRSO) Investigators eventually identified three Baton Rouge properties connected to the suspected operation, including locations on Cottage Hill Drive, Bluebonnet Boulevard, and Mammoth Avenue.

During the searches, deputies seized approximately 22.5 grams of fentanyl, 3 grams of cocaine, two rifles, $8,531 in cash, and equipment containing fentanyl residue.

Lewis faces charges of operating a clandestine fentanyl laboratory, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of drug paraphernalia, illegal carrying of a firearm with drugs, and money laundering.

“This investigation represents an extraordinary accomplishment by the men and women of the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office and our law enforcement partners,” Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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Record-setting fentanyl lab uncovered in Baton Rouge; man arrested

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