Officers seize suspected meth labs

Acting on an anonymous tip Sunday, the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office seized three separate facilities believed to be methamphetamine labs and arrested three people in the process, according to a news release.

One subject has been charged with parole violation and faces a pending warrant for manufacture of a controlled substance. He remains in custody in the Roosevelt County Detention Center. Another subject is charged with two counts of possession of meth and faces a pending warrant for manufacture of a controlled substance. That subject is charged with criminal damage to a sheriff’s office vehicle. Her bond was set at $11,000. The first subject is charged with possession of meth and faces a pending warrant for manufacture of a controlled substance. His bond has been set at $5,000.

The investigation began Sunday when the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office received a tip of an active meth lab at Portales area residence, according to a news release from the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office. Because the resident is on parole, adult probation and parole officers were called out. Deputies and Region V Task Force officers relayed the information to probation and parole officers, and a home visit was conducted with the assistance of the sheriff’s office and task force personnel.

During the visit, according to the news release, all of the major components of a meth manufacturing operation were discovered in a heater wall unit in the residence. One subject was also arrested at the scene, said Malin Parker, chief deputy sheriff.

According to Parker, while being arrested, that individual kicked out a back window of a sheriff’s car and jumped out.

While securing the residence and placing the two under arrest, a third individual arrived at the residence and was found to be in possession of meth as well. During the arrest, that person admitted to having all of the components of a meth lab in the vehicle they drove to the residence, according to the sheriff’s news release.

That individual later led deputies and agents to another residence in Roosevelt County, according to the news release. Search warrants were issued for the two residences and the vehicle, and three separate meth labs were seized, according to the news release. The vehicle was counted as a meth lab in itself because, according to Chief Deputy Malin Parker, the vehicle contained all of the ingredients to make meth.

Sheriff’s officials contacted the New Mexico State Police clandestine lab team and were able to remove all of the chemicals by Monday.
Portales police officers also helped with the investigation.