Meth Lab Busted After Noise Complaint

South Congaree Police have arrested seven people in a meth lab bust after a noise complaint led officers to the portable meth lab inside a van.

Around 5 AM on Sunday, August 3rd, police were called to a garage in South Congaree after a noise complaint about loud music coming from the area. During an investigation into the noise complaint, a police officer noticed what appeared to be meth manufacturing materials in a van next to the parking lot.

The garage had been converted into an apartment, according to police reports. Two men at the scene, Guy Douglas Chaney, 47, and Clyde William Ostranger, Jr., 36, were behaving in a suspicious manner. Officers entered the apartment and found Brian Allen Kemmerlin, 36; Timothy Allen Reason, 32; Amanda Jean Hanners, 33; Rosa Louis Jackson, 35; and Freddie Lee Chaney, 63, hiding inside.

The police officers called the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department for assistance. The sheriff’s department has focused on busting meth labs across Lexington County since the beginning of 2013.

Officers from the Sheriff’s Department confirmed that the van had an active meth lab inside. Officers obtained a search warrant for the apartment as well as the van, and found paraphernalia for meth and other drug use inside. Investigators also stated that they found an AR15 assault rifle.

All seven suspects were taken to the Lexington County Detention Center on charges of improper disposal of methamphetamine, manufacturing methamphetamine, and criminal conspiracy.

The Rise of Meth Labs in South Carolina

Law Enforcement in South Carolina is cracking down on the manufacturing of methamphetamines.  Two years ago, South Carolina lawmakers attempted to stop the fast-growing trend by placing limits on the amount of pseudoephedrine customers can purchase, and pharmacists – who keep the drug behind counters – swipe the customer’s driver’s license to see if limits have been met. Electronic tracking should, in theory, stop meth manufacturers from buying large amounts of the necessary chemical.

However, the portable meth labs use less of the drug by creating smaller amounts of methamphetamine.

All meth labs use dangerous, deadly chemicals, and are prone to explosions – even the portable ones. In the shake and bake method, manufacturers must constantly unscrew the lid of the bottle to relieve pressure. When not monitored closely, the bottles can explode, spraying dangerous chemicals everywhere.

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Meth Lab Drug Crimes Charges

The drug crime attorneys at Strom Law Firm, LLC will aggressively defend your case whether you are under investigation or have been arrested for drugs in all State and Federal Courts in South Carolina as well as the Federal Courts in Georgia. Drug cases, including meth lab busts, need to be examined from every angle, and in many cases are subject to mandatory minimum sentences. Aggressive representation can protect your future. Drug crime charges and drug busts in South Carolina are very serious. If you have been charged with possession, trafficking, or manufacturing drugs, the attorneys at the Strom Law Firm can help. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so contact us today by calling (803)252-4800.