DEA raids target synthetic drugs

TAMPA - It took a careful hand and protective gear to haul it all away. 

DEA agents and Hillsborough deputies, dressed in protective gear, carried out boxes and bags full of dangerous chemicals from three Tampa warehouses Wednesday afternoon.  Workers from neighboring businesses watched in disbelief.

"You never know what people are doing right beside you, so you got to be careful," said Natalie Powell.

Agents believe what they seized in Tampa amounts to millions of dollars worth of synthetic drugs.  They also found boxes full of packaging and wrappers that show how the substance would eventually be bundled and sold.

"It's thousands and thousands of pounds of the product here," said Hillsborough Sheriff David Gee.  "We believe we're going to have large sums of currency as well."

The raids are part of a nationwide bust.  On Wednesday, the DEA also carried out operations in states like New York, Texas and California.

So far, the DEA has not released much information about the operation. 

A press conference is planned for Thursday afternoon in Washington D.C. where officials are expected to reveal more details about the busts.