Upon discovering what they believe to be a methamphetamine production facility, authorities have arrested three individuals. Illinois police arrested these people at a residence in DeKalb and have since filed drug crime charges against all three. The investigation is still under way as of this report, and police believe it may yet lead to further arrests.
On the afternoon of April 25, police arrived at the apartment with the intention of questioning the residents as part of an ongoing drug investigation. Police on the scene say they encountered what appeared to be a functional methamphetamine lab in the apartment, at which point the Illinois State Police Meth Response Team was called in for further investigation. The team collected evidence from the scene with no recorded injuries or damage.
The three individuals present at the residence were charged with participating in the production of meth, a class X felony under Illinois law, as well as possession of manufacturing materials. The owner of the residence was also charged with unlawful use of property. Police have reported that all three of these individuals have prior convictions related to methamphetamine crimes, but of course any prior conviction cannot be used as proof of guilt in the current case.
Drug crime charges of this severity typically come with severe criminal penalties under Illinois law, but prosecutors will have to prove that the police report of the situation was accurate in every way. Additionally, they will have to provide proof that police lawfully entered the premises to obtain the alleged evidence. If the rights of the three individuals arrested for these crimes were in any way violated, the case could be thrown out of court altogether.
Source: northernstar.info, “Three arrested in weekend meth lab bust“, , April 27, 2014