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(Memphis, TN 1/3/12) A major meth lab bust shocked an East Memphis community Tuesday night.
At around 6:30 p.m., the organized crime unit busted down the doors of a house on the 4500 block of Helene Road, off of Perkins.
Two people were detained with charges pending. Two others were decontaminated because of possible exposure and taken to The MED. They are expected to be ok.
Neighbors are appalled that such illegal drug activity was going on in their peaceful neighborhood where children play. But at the same time, some neighbors have suspected something wrong for a while.
"He had men coming in and out living there that were obviously on meth because you could tell by looking at them they had the rotten teeth," said Diana Ray, who lives next door.
Ray said that someone frequently visiting that house had helped work on her car.
"He flat out told me what they were doing over there, and I told them they needed to stop or we'll have to do something about it."
She called the police three times in the last two years and was told to call again when the activity was actually taking place.
She was even approached by the same man who worked on her car for help.
"He asked me if I could do him a really big favor. If I could go to the store and just buy him a couple boxes of Sudafed. And I said, 'you think I'm an idiot?'"
Ray often has as many as three small children she cares for in her house, and she has asthma problems. She's also seen children frequently at the house with the active meth lab.
Other neighbors say loud noise and heavy traffic have been a nuisance at night and that they've seen big barrels under the car port.
June Derryberry asked the homeowner, "What are you selling? And he said, 'We're not selling. What? We're not selling.'"
Derryberry said that while others called the police, she was more hesitant.
"We were scared. We were really scared to tell...because there could be repercussions from telling," she said.
Now that clean-up is underway, the community hopes to regain the peace they've had for the last 30 or 40 years.
"I hope that house gets cleaned up, and I hope finally after four bad neighbors we get a good one," Derryberry said.
- The Organized Crime Unit executed a search warrant on an East Memphis house.
- They found an active meth lab and finished crystal meth.
- Neighbors had suspected illegal activity.
Twitter - NChen_WREG3
Facebook.com/NatashaChenReports
(Memphis, TN 1/3/12) A major meth lab bust shocked an East Memphis community Tuesday night.
At around 6:30 p.m., the organized crime unit busted down the doors of a house on the 4500 block of Helene Road, off of Perkins.
Two people were detained with charges pending. Two others were decontaminated because of possible exposure and taken to The MED. They are expected to be ok.
Neighbors are appalled that such illegal drug activity was going on in their peaceful neighborhood where children play. But at the same time, some neighbors have suspected something wrong for a while.
"He had men coming in and out living there that were obviously on meth because you could tell by looking at them they had the rotten teeth," said Diana Ray, who lives next door.
Ray said that someone frequently visiting that house had helped work on her car.
"He flat out told me what they were doing over there, and I told them they needed to stop or we'll have to do something about it."
She called the police three times in the last two years and was told to call again when the activity was actually taking place.
She was even approached by the same man who worked on her car for help.
"He asked me if I could do him a really big favor. If I could go to the store and just buy him a couple boxes of Sudafed. And I said, 'you think I'm an idiot?'"
Ray often has as many as three small children she cares for in her house, and she has asthma problems. She's also seen children frequently at the house with the active meth lab.
Other neighbors say loud noise and heavy traffic have been a nuisance at night and that they've seen big barrels under the car port.
June Derryberry asked the homeowner, "What are you selling? And he said, 'We're not selling. What? We're not selling.'"
Derryberry said that while others called the police, she was more hesitant.
"We were scared. We were really scared to tell...because there could be repercussions from telling," she said.
Now that clean-up is underway, the community hopes to regain the peace they've had for the last 30 or 40 years.
"I hope that house gets cleaned up, and I hope finally after four bad neighbors we get a good one," Derryberry said.
