Drug Task Force Busts Meth Lab

Fri., July 24, 1998

From Staff

An abandoned Spokane Valley methamphetamine lab was discovered and dismantled Thursday by the Spokane Regional Drug Task Force and Washington Department of Ecology.

A neighbor who noticed a bad smell as well as bottles in the garage of a home in the 9200 block of East Boone tipped off the Spokane County Sheriff’s Department.

Investigators obtained a search warrant and entered the home Thursday morning, deputies said.

Materials to produce more than 12 pounds of methamphetamine were found along with 1,000 to 2,000 empty containers of the drug ephedrine and 200 to 500 empty bottles of the automotive product Heet.

The drug and chemical are used to make methamphetamine, investigators said.

Methamphetamine labs often produce highly toxic chemicals. The Department of Ecology was on hand to decontaminate the area, deputies said.

About 50 marijuana plants also had been grown in the home, deputies said.

No arrests were made. An investigation into who last lived in the home continues, deputies said.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.