More than 50 pounds of meth chemicals seized in traffic stop
By Nick Hiltunen
Published in News on June 22, 2009 1:46 PM
Goldsboro police made a traffic stop on North Spence Avenue that turned up more than 50 pounds of chemicals used to make methamphetamine, authorities said.
Two Mount Olive men and an Albertson woman have been charged with meth-related charges, drug agents said.
Among the chemicals seized were ammonium nitrate, camping fuel, pseudoephedrine and sodium hydroxide, also known as lye, a drug agent said.
Those are chemicals used in the complicated, and often highly dangerous process, of making methamphetamine.
"They mix all of that together, heat it up and then they put it in their bodies," said one drug agent who asked not to be named because he does undercover work.
The stop happened Friday evening, and Goldsboro police reported the seizure in a news release today.
The stop involved members of the Selective Enforcement Unit, who said the traffic stop was part of an investigation into the three suspects.
Mikel Landis Turner, 28, of Northeast Church Road, Mount Olive, was jailed under the highest bond and faced the most serious charges.
Turner was charged with possession of precursor chemicals and possession of methamphetamine, both felonies, and jailed under $200,000 bond.
Erica Taylor Southerland, 29, of N.C. 111 North, Albertson, was charged with possession of precursor chemicals and an existing Mount Olive warrant for misdemeanor larceny, her arrest report shows.
Bond for Ms. Southerland was set at $101,000, authorities said.
Also charged was Dustin Lee Bowden, 21, of Jim Best Road, Mount Olive, who was charged with possession of precursor chemicals to meth.
Methamphetamine is a high priority target for drug enforcement officers because it endangers not only users, but anyone within proximity of a lab.
Because the process can release toxic and flammable gases, the labs can be prone to fire and explosion.