Loaded guns, cash, marijuana and nitrous oxide tanks were seized Friday night in a raid on a Fontana auto repair shop.
Police said the shop was selling the nitrous oxide — also known as NOS — tanks for recreational drug use to young people in the area, and that their use had led to car collisions and even death.
"NOS is extremely dangerous,” said Officer Tim Brayshaw of the Rialto Police Department. “Originally it was a general anesthetic and over the years, it's what you see now. The kids have found a cheap way to get high."
Alycea Smith lives in nearby Colton. She said her 17-year-old sister asked her to pick her up in the parking lot of RCO Auto Repair in Fontana Friday night. Shortly after Smith arrived around 9 p.m., the police showed up and she said she’s worried her sister could be using nitrous oxide.
"I know that kids like to use it and use balloons," Smith said. "She's my little sister and I don't want her doing any of this stuff. One of the police officers showed me a picture of other kids in a car accident because of the NOS."
Investigators said drivers under the influence of NOS were the cause of several recent collisions.
"About a week and a half, two weeks ago, we had three-car traffic accident,” said Cpl. Cameron Nelson. “The person at fault was driving under the influence of NOS. The subject was actually driving and huffing NOS at the same time."
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Nitrous oxide is used legally in dentistry and also car racing, which is why this auto shop was able to obtain these large tanks of the substance.
"Every contact we've had with anybody in possession of nitrous oxide who are inhaling it, they mention this business, stating that this is the place where it's being distributed from," said Officer Nicholas Parcher.
Police said the employees, two of whom were arrested Friday night, were illegally converting liquid nitrous oxide to gas and then selling it to teenagers and young adults, as a recreational drug.
"The problem is when you take NOS, when you inhale it, (it’s) no longer in a medical form where it’s mixed with oxygen and you can start with death, then coma, brain damage, heart attack, just goes downhill from there," said Brayshaw.
