Food truck in northwest Houston, rental business fronted for drug lab

HOUSTON – An alleged raid on a drug lab in northwest Houston resulted in the jailing of four people on Monday night.

Investigators believe they made pills that looked like Xanax or Adderall and added the deadly fentanyl to them.

The business on Sussex Lane near Gessner Road has a food truck parked in front of the entrance and signs saying it’s a slingshot or tricycle rental.

“These things are extremely dangerous to society,” said Texas DPS Lieutenant Craig Cummings. “They were making pills with the intention of distributing them to the public.”

During the raid, investigators found about 17 pounds of chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl. They also seized three pill-compressing machines and more than three pounds of counterfeit Xanax and Adderall pills believed to contain fentanyl. The Adderall tablets also contained methamphetamine, according to DPS.

“The end product is a pill that looks exactly like the one you can buy at the pharmacy,” said Lieutenant Cummings. “A person is taking fentanyl and may not have enough time to call 911 to get help … it’s just a deadly chemical.”

The raid also uncovered more than four pounds of cocaine, 44 pounds of hydromarijuana, four handguns and a stolen car, according to DPS.

“Every opportunity we get to demolish a place like this is a success,” said Lt. Cummings. “We are here to address this crisis that is affecting Harris County and Texas as a whole.”

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, killed 1,672 Texans in 2021. Texas Health and Human Services Commission.

Police have arrested four men in connection with a suspected drug lab. Court records show that all four had prior convictions in Harris County.

Stanley Keith Williams, 57, was charged with possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance with a $70,000 bail. Gary Wayne Odoms, 53, was charged with falsifying government documents. James Earl Williams, 62, was charged with possession of controlled substances. Keith Boxhill, 45, was charged with evading arrest and falsifying evidence.

According to Lieutenant Cummings, Boxhill, also known by his pseudonym Keith Hill, went into hiding during the investigation, according to court records.

According to prison records, all four men were released from prison.

For the past year and a half, Virgil Thomas has lived across the street from the alleged drug lab and thought something was wrong.

“You have a food truck that never goes anywhere, they never sell food, and they don’t often rent those cars, so you can’t make money,” he said. “Entrance and exit in traffic jams all the time, at any time of the night.”

He said that Sunday brings the most activity in the area.

“I am very happy because it will be much calmer here,” he said.

Many of these operations may appear to be commonplace, but activity in or around them may indicate that something else is going on, Lt. Cummings said.

If you suspect something suspicious, you can report it anonymously with photos using iWatchTexas. iPhone or android application or Web site.