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Thursday, Aug. 06, 2009

Meth lab dump site found

An estimated 60 pounds of the drug was produced.

The remains of a large meth lab were reported in Ballico by law enforcement investigators this week -- one of the largest such dump sites discovered in Merced County this year.

Agents with the Merced/Mariposa High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force responded to an organic almond orchard near Bradbury Road and Sycamore Street around 9 a.m. Tuesday after a witness spotted the dump site, according to Deputy Tom MacKenzie, Merced County sheriff's spokesman.

No suspects have been arrested.

Based on the amount of debris that was found, investigators estimate about 60 pounds of methamphetamine was made before the remains of the lab were dumped. MacKenzie said the average price of meth on the street is about $20,000 a pound, which means the lab produced about $1.2 million in meth.

The remains of the lab had been set on fire to destroy the evidence, MacKenzie said. Because of the fire, investigators had to wait for the debris to cool off before they could approach the pile.

The massive pile of burned materials included more than 300 pounds of debris, kitty litter, 25 feet of rubber hose, 60 one-gallon cans of solvent and more than 1,000 cold medication pill packets. The cold and flu medicine is used because it contains pseudoephedrine, the base chemical used to make meth, MacKenzie said.

The pile of debris also held about 200 pounds of solid waste, MacKenzie said.

The dump was the third big find in the Ballico area within the last four months, MacKenzie said.

Reporter Victor A. Patton can be reached at (209) 385-2431 or vpatton@mercedsun-star.com.