$3 Million Crystal Meth Lab, Uncovered on NW side of Chicago Options

[carolannexbh]

This is actually really shocking to me considering the fact that I don't live too far from here and

methamphetamine labs are pretty rare inside the city limits.

CHICAGO (CBS) ― A suspect was custody Tuesday morning, accused of operating a multi-million dollar crystal meth lab on Chicago's Northwest Side.

Cbs-2's Kristyn Hartman reports that police also recovered cocaine and a weapon inside the duplex.

Normally in Chicago, a $3 million drug bust isn't headline news, but methamphetamine labs are pretty rare inside the city limits.

Police say you don't see them often in Chicago because of a law to take ingredients used to make them off of store shelves. Also, people live in closer quarters in Chicago than in most suburbs, which makes detecting meth labs easier.

So for Chicago police, busting the meth lab was unusual. Officers from the 25th District seized the crystal meth and cocaine in a raid Monday night in the Cragin neighborhood.

The guy living next door heard them in action.

"I heard a bang, a real loud banging so I went out to investigate and there's two police officers in the back with their guns drawn so I knew something was up," said Eladio Arcel. "You know, the funny thing is I've never smelled anything. You know, I walk my dogs out and I never got the slightest sign of anything."

Now there's no mistaking what cops say went on there. A red warning is posted on the door and the gate outside. It says the duplex housed a "clandestine lab." A sergeant close to the case said that lab was used to finish the meth, dry it and get it ready for sale.

Police Sgt. Richard Silva said officers knew it was there due to "Good police work, good contacts on the street and good follow-up investigation."

"Because of the newness of this, we tried to use every resource we could get," Silva said, including Chicago firefighters because of concerns the chemicals used to make meth are highly flammable.

Silva said he's especially pleased to get the crystal meth off the street because it's highly addictive.

Officers say the recovery rate for the drug is low and it isn't cheap. If you filled the average sugar packet 25 percent of the way with crystal meth, that small amount would sell for $10 to $20.

http://cbs2chicago.com/local/crystal.meth.lab.2.684194.html

[ToxicTaco]

omg. Its good we haven't found it in our tiny tiny town.

[tokyo-rose]

Wow, I'm surprised the dogs didn't detect anything. Then again, they're not police-trained canines.

[lkajsfklajskds]

this reminds me of when i watched american gangster and i was like
"cool"
then i realized it was based on a true story and i was like
" "