Police raided a vacant Ellington Avenue business and found six methamphetamine labs inside, according to the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office.
One of the meth labs was operational, while the other five had been used so much that they no longer functioned.
The meth labs were found at a former body shop located at 407 Ellington Ave. The shop’s owner, 53-year-old Jerald J. Medina, of 402 Barton Ave. in Luling, had closed down the repair shop and operated it as a meth lab, authorities said.
Sgt. Dwayne LaGrange said police received tips from concerned residents who had noticed suspicious activity at the location.
“Detectives began to survey the area and tracked Jerald Medina,” LaGrange said. “They found him walking on the railroad tracks near the business and he was holding a container that contained drugs.”
Authorities then searched Medina’s home and business, and found six meth labs in the vacant store on Ellington Avenue.
“Some of the labs were hidden but some were in plain sight,” LaGrange said. “He had been doing this for quite some time and we are glad that we were able to build a case against him and shut the labs down.”
LaGrange said that underground meth labs have popped up all over the country, but that St. Charles Parish hasn’t been much of a hotbed for meth activity.
“We have had incidents similar to this in the past, but it is rare for our area compared to other parishes,” LaGrange said. “These meth labs are very dangerous because people who run them are mixing all kinds of things that shouldn’t go together and the labs can create serious problems.”
The business that housed the meth labs was located in a residential area. Meth labs are considered extremely dangerous because some of the chemicals used to produce methamphetamine may ignite or explode if not mixed properly.
LaGrange added that tips from the community are important in keeping meth labs out of the area.
“We welcome the tips we do receive and it’s important that people notify us when they see suspicious activity such as cars and people coming and going at a particular location at all times of the day and night,” he said.
Medina was booked with seven counts of the possession of methamphetamine.
Be the first to comment