Two Colleton County Residents Arrested for Meth Lab Operation
On Saturday, June 29th, two people were arrested in Colleton County, SC after Colleton County Sheriff’s Deputies, along with SWAT team members, raided a home that reportedly had an active meth lab inside.
Stacy Lynn Gibson, 35, and Frank Smith, Jr, 44, were arrested and charged with possession of meth with intent to distribute, and distribution and manufacturing of crack cocaine and meth.
The Colleton County deputies served a search warrant and discovered evidence of a meth lab – a “moderate sized one-pot operation,” according to reports.
Officers from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) responded to the scene to ensure safety after the meth lab was found, and clean up the area.
Reportedly, deputies found a “quantity of methamphetamine,” two active “one-pots,” and a stash of chemicals, bi-products, and lab equipment, all used in the meth lab.
Colleton County Fire/Rescue also responded to the meth lab scene, and decontaminated the two suspects before they were taken to the Colleton County Detention Center.
The Rise of “One-Pot” Meth Labs in South Carolina
Statistics from 2000 show that South Carolina had one of the lowest rates of methamphetamine use in the country. However, those numbers are changing as meth labs become more portable, and meth manufacturers become more savvy. Between 2007 and 2011, incidents of busted meth labs increased more than 10 times – 26 in 2007, to 267 in 2011. News reports show meth lab busts in some part of South Carolina nearly every week.
Portable meth labs, also called “one-pot” or “shake and bake” meth labs, are becoming more and more prevalent throughout the state. These labs create a small amount of meth with less paraphernalia. They are also more difficult to detect than larger meth labs, which often have to be situated in a house. One-pot meth labs use a 16-ounce plastic bottle, ammonia (which must be stowed since it comes in large containers, so meth manufacturers often hide the containers in the woods), and pseudoephedrine, often found in cough syrup and decongestant pills.
“The people doing this want to get what they can as fast as they can,” said an undercover agent. “That’s what makes it so hard to find and to catch these guys. It’s so portable. It’s aggravating.”
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.
However, 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 Drug Crimes Charges for Meth Labs
Drug crime charges and meth lab busts in South Carolina are very serious. If you have been charged with possession, trafficking, or manufacturing drugs, including manufacturing at a meth lab, 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.
