Two men arrested in connection with the discovery of a series of drug labs pleaded guilty to a long list of drug charges on Monday.

Kanor Kabutey, 32, of Burlington and 34-year-old Jamie Porteous of Waterdown were initially charged in connection with the discovery of a drug lab on May 31, 2010.

The next day a Waterloo Region police search found drums of chemicals, drug-making equipment and drugs in a commercial building on Jarvis Street in Cambridge.

That discovery led to searches of other storage units in Milton and Oakville as well as an industrial building Burlington, where more chemicals, equipment and drugs worth millions were seized.

Kabutey and Porteous were arrested in November 2010, the same day as the facility in Burlington was raided, and additional charges were then laid against the two accused.

The list of charges includes numerous counts of production of a controlled substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking.

The searches were all part of an investigation into the production and distribution of MDMA/ecstasy and methamphetamine, but cocaine was also involved.

While some of the charges were dropped in court, the men still face long prison sentences.

Both pleaded guilty to two charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking and three counts under the Food and Drug Act.

Porteous has been sentenced to nine-and-a-half years in prison.

With credit for time served, the Hamilton-area business owner and former wrestler will remain in prison for another seven years.

The judge in the case told Porteous it was difficult to understand why he would have involved himself in that type of activity, saying "This is truly regrettable that a man of your potential would have been so obsessed with money."

Porteus told the court he was "Influenced to make poor choices, rough around the edges. I recognize what I did was wrong…I remain optimistic about by future. I firmly believe I am a candidate for rehabilitation."

Kabutey, who had been out on bail, is now in custody and will return to court on March 14 for sentencing.

His lawyer says his family is devastated and that her client made an error in judgement.