Huntington Beach man arrested in connection with marijuana lab explosion

A Huntington Beach man was arrested last week in connection with a garage explosion caused by an illegal marijuana growing operation and a marijuana oil extraction lab in January in Anaheim, authorities said.

Frederic John Mercado Tabora, 32, was arrested Aug. 31 outside a Motel 6 in Westminster, Anaheim police Sgt. Daron Wyatt said Friday.

The arrest followed seven months of investigation after the labs were found in the aftermath of the explosion in the 2000 block of West Blue Violet Court in Anaheim, according to Wyatt.

The fire caused $450,000 worth of damage to the garage and several rooms in the two-story condominium next to it, authorities said.

Anaheim investigators also served a search warrant at Tabora’s home, in the 6100 block of Kelley Circle in Huntington Beach, where a butane honey oil lab was found, according to Wyatt.

He said Tabora was arrested on suspicion of unlawfully causing a fire, unlawful chemical extraction and an enhancement of doing so within 300 feet of an occupied home, all felonies.

He was released on bail from Orange County Jail on Saturday.