A meth bust in Monroe County has landed one man behind bars. According to Monroe County Sheriff Cecil Cantrell, deputies raided an active meth lab Wednesday morning. The lab was located approximately 25 feet from Hamilton High School. The lab was also located across the street from a church.
Richard Wallace Smith, 36, Apt 7A, Hamilton Road, Hamilton, was arrested and is being held at the Monroe County Detention Center in connection with the meth lab. Formal charges are pending.
“We knew something was going on with Smith,” Cantrell said. “He had been under surveillance and the public gave us some good information. We found an active meth lab at his apartment. There were several fruit jars of meth in the house. He had everything he needed to make meth in that house. He was cooking meth when we got there. We are very fortunate nothing happened. The lab could have exploded and it could have put the school children in jeopardy.”
Meth and items used to make meth were not the only item deputies found in the home.
“We also found 300-350 bottles of urine in the house,” Cantrell said. “He was cooking the urine down with lighter fluid and then drinking it to get high.”
Jeff Clark was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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