DESLOGE - A traffic stop in Desloge for swerving turned into the discovery of a rolling methamphetamine lab. Desloge Police Chief James Bullock said the incident occurred at 2:25 a.m. on March 9. He said Officer Dan Russell made the traffic stop.
“He (Russell) observed a vehicle failing to maintain a single lane,” Bullock said. “He followed the vehicle onto Highway 68, where he pulled it over. As he was talking to the driver he noticed an alcoholic beverage in the rear driver’s side floorboard. He asked the driver and the passenger if they had been drinking or had been using drugs.”
Bullock said Russell asked the two men to exit the vehicle. He said a search of the two men did not uncover anything illegal.
“Officer Russell asked for consent to search the vehicle,” Bullock said. “He found some paraphernalia inside the vehicle. Bonne Terre K-9 Officer Chad Brown had come over to the scene for a safety check. Officer Russell asked him (Brown) if he would have his K-9 search the vehicle.”
Bullock said the K-9 hit on several different areas. He said chemicals and paraphernalia used to manufacture methamphetamine were found.
“Some of the items were in the truck concealed by rags,” Bullock said. “A clear plastic bottle that contained a chemical was found. When the officer asked one of the suspects what was in it, he said it was Coleman fuel mixed with Muriatic acid.”
Bullock said the MoSMART Officer Bruce Momot was called to the scene to take samples and dispose of the chemicals. He said rolling papers, needles, a razor blade, the chemical in the plastic bottle and a glass pipe were found.
“They did not find any finished product,” he said.
A 29-year-old Hillsboro man was arrested for possession of chemicals with the intent to manufacture and felony possession of drug paraphernalia. A 25-year-old Doe Run man was arrested for possession of chemicals with the intent to manufacture and felony possession of drug paraphernalia.
Chris Cline is a reporter for the Daily Journal. Contact him at 573-431-2010, ext. 114 or at ccline@dailyjournalonline.com.
