Overnight Meth Bust In North Alabama May Be State's Largest Ever
By: Stephen Crews
Updated: February 3, 2011
What investigators are calling the largest meth lab bust in state history happened overnight in Hazel Green.
The Madison County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Unit, along with the Huntsville STAC team, conducted the bust. It happened at around 7:30pm Wednesday night at a house on Elkwood Section Road.
Deputies arrested 36 year-old Jerry Whitt and charged him with unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance in the first degree. He is being held in the Madison County Jail and his bond is set at $1,500,000.
When investigators approached the house, Whitt was holding a rifle, but complied when deputies told him to drop the weapon. They then discovered the meth labs in an attached garage.
Sgt. Mike Salomonsky of the county’s narcotics team said the sheer size of the bust surprised them, although conducting meth lab busts is nothing new. He explained, "We've all come to the agreement that this is the biggest lab that we've seen, and with the cleanup crews, I think the record they've seen in the state is 126 one-pot meth labs. We're between 150 and 200, and we've stopped counting."
Once deputies received tips about the meth lab, they acted quickly. Salomonsky said, “We’re in a neighborhood, there's a lot of things that could happen…You don't know if they're dumping chemicals in other places. We had to take quick action, so that's what we did."
But taking inventory was a slower process, due to hazardous materials, possible chemical exposure and syringes. Salomonsky explained, “As they go through the bags, trying to secure evidence for the prosecution of the case, there is a substantial risk to their health. They could become stabbed by the needles, and I don't have to tell you that the numerous diseases that can be generated from that."
Another challenge is disposal. Due to the high volume of toxins, the Environmental Protection Agency will help dispose the waste from a meth lab. Salomonsky said, “We're going to just bag it, per the EPA and DEA guidelines, and transport the rest of the trash from the meth lab in bulk, rather than continue to break it down."
Salomonsky said the investigation is not yet complete: “We have one subject in custody, but we feel like from the investigation that there have been multiple people who cook or produce methamphetamine who have been using this location to do that."
Still, he said the safety of the investigators is top priority: “We have the primary guy in custody, I’m very excited about that, and all of us are. But then we have to revert back to the officer safety issue, so if we get further, that’s great, but if we don't we'll just have to hammer it out the best we can."
The Madison County Sheriff’s Department Narcotics Unit, along with the Huntsville STAC team, conducted the bust. It happened at around 7:30pm Wednesday night at a house on Elkwood Section Road.
Deputies arrested 36 year-old Jerry Whitt and charged him with unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance in the first degree. He is being held in the Madison County Jail and his bond is set at $1,500,000.
When investigators approached the house, Whitt was holding a rifle, but complied when deputies told him to drop the weapon. They then discovered the meth labs in an attached garage.
Sgt. Mike Salomonsky of the county’s narcotics team said the sheer size of the bust surprised them, although conducting meth lab busts is nothing new. He explained, "We've all come to the agreement that this is the biggest lab that we've seen, and with the cleanup crews, I think the record they've seen in the state is 126 one-pot meth labs. We're between 150 and 200, and we've stopped counting."
Once deputies received tips about the meth lab, they acted quickly. Salomonsky said, “We’re in a neighborhood, there's a lot of things that could happen…You don't know if they're dumping chemicals in other places. We had to take quick action, so that's what we did."
But taking inventory was a slower process, due to hazardous materials, possible chemical exposure and syringes. Salomonsky explained, “As they go through the bags, trying to secure evidence for the prosecution of the case, there is a substantial risk to their health. They could become stabbed by the needles, and I don't have to tell you that the numerous diseases that can be generated from that."
Another challenge is disposal. Due to the high volume of toxins, the Environmental Protection Agency will help dispose the waste from a meth lab. Salomonsky said, “We're going to just bag it, per the EPA and DEA guidelines, and transport the rest of the trash from the meth lab in bulk, rather than continue to break it down."
Salomonsky said the investigation is not yet complete: “We have one subject in custody, but we feel like from the investigation that there have been multiple people who cook or produce methamphetamine who have been using this location to do that."
Still, he said the safety of the investigators is top priority: “We have the primary guy in custody, I’m very excited about that, and all of us are. But then we have to revert back to the officer safety issue, so if we get further, that’s great, but if we don't we'll just have to hammer it out the best we can."
