TEAM SUCCESSFULLY COMBATS ILLEGAL DRUGS IN LINCOLN COUNTY


By Jon Mayhew
Publisher


LINCOLNTON -- Their battlefield involves weapons. However, a team of at least six people from both the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office and Lincolnton Police are battling an enemy like no other: drugs. Illegal drugs, like meth amphetamine; crack coacine; and marijauna.

For about the past six months, the Interagency Drug Task Force hss been a collaberative effort between both law enforcement agencies. And the task force has been busy for the past few weeks. During a two-week period, the force found a total of five meth amphetamine labs. It's found a total of six meth labs this year according to Lincoln County Sheriff Tim Daugherty.

The task force even found one meth lab twice. Operating on a tip, narcotics investigators found evidence a meth lab had been operating at the same location where they shut it down more than two months ago. The location is near the end of Otis Dellinger Road where a Meth Lab was dismantled on May 6th. Frank Edward Whitlock, 32, of that address was charged with manufacturing a controlled substance and possession of meth precursors. He was released at that time on a $9,500 secured bond.

Upon finding the sceond lab, Whitlock was charged with the same previous two charges and this time given a bond of $125,000.

Whitlock's brother maintained that the task force "left chemicals" from the first meth lab bust.

"That's preposterous," said Sheriff Daugherty. "When a meth lab is cleaned up, it's cleaned up, period."

While the task force battles against all types of illegal drugs, it's the meth amphetamine labs that are the most dangerous....and most portable according to Daugherty.

"The majority of these labs have been found in western Lincoln County, including one on Harmon Road and one on Underwood Lane," said Sheriff Daugherty. "Investigations into all of the meth labs are continuing and the investigators are following up on tips."

Daugherty said meth is a lucrative, illegal drug choice. In fact, in the case of Whitlock, he bonded out of jail in May and went right back to cooking meth amphetamine according to Daugherty.

Tougher laws in North Carolina are making it more difficult for people to procure the main ingredient in meth amphetamine. However, Daugherty said it's still a surmountable road block.

"There's a lot of money in making meth, that's for sure," said Daugherty.

Daugherty said the main public misconception about a meth lab is that it's actually a laboratory.

"Far from it," said Daugherty. "Equipment is crude and the mixture of gas and chemicals can be deadly."

Take the case of a meth amphetamine lab found on Underwood Lane, discovered while a tenant was being evicted from a mobile home.
Lincoln County Sheriff's Deputy D.R. Long was serving an eviction at a residence at 2120 Underwood Lane. After several attempts to get the tenant to the door, identified as Jeffrey Alan Arthur, the landlord and Long were going to cut a padlock off the front door. As they were attempting to gain entry, Arthur appeared from the back door of the residence.
Long followed Arthur into the residence and saw a milky white substance in a pickle jar. When he asked the suspect what was in the jar, Arthur opened the jar and sniffed it, telling the deputy is was dishwashing detergent.

Long said because of his training regarding discovering meth amphetamine, he knew better.

"I actually saw the lab upon further investigation," said Long, adding he immediately went outside to detain Arthur for questioning.

Arthur was eventually arrested for operating a meth amphetamine lab and taken to jail.


SIZE DOES MATTER IN METH LABS
Besides combustability, Sheriff Daugherty said in an interview held late last week that the labs are getting smaller.

"What we're starting to see is meth labs that are going mobile," said Daugherty. "We're finding them in briefcases or backpacks or suitcases."

Daugherty said the Sheriff's Office is trying to educate the public on what to look for, signs a meth amphetamine lab may be present in or behind a residence.

That includes a large amount of gas-type storage tanks and glass jars or bottles.

"People may have seen things in homes previously and it hasn't attracted attention," said Daugherty. "We're trying to help the public be on guard what to look for."