MERRILL, Maine — For the 15th time this year, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency officials were at the site of a suspected meth lab last week. The MDEA’s lab response team responded July 10 to the scene at 233 Clark Road in Merrill and spent the day processing the property for evidence of meth manufacturing.
MDEA was assisted by Aroostook Sheriff’s Office, Maine State Police, U.S. Border Patrol, Oakfield Fire and Maine Department of Environmental Protection. No arrest was made and no additional information was released as of Monday afternoon.
“For the past month, agents from MDEA’s Aroostook District Task Force have been investigating the manufacturing and distribution of methamphetamine from a residence in Merrill,” said Steve McCausland, public safety spokesperson for the Maine State Police. “Agents were able to conduct undercover purchases of methamphetamine from the home and returned with a search warrant.”
Due to the extremely toxic and explosive nature of methamphetamine manufacturing, MDEA’s lab team was activated to safely dismantle and seize the meth lab.
“Specially trained agents from around the state along with a chemist, utilizing specialized equipment and wearing protective gear, dismantled 24 separate devices from inside the home, where the drug was being concocted,” he said. “The agents retained samples of a variety of items, including muriatic acid, Coleman stove fuel and lithium strips.”
Assisting drug agents at the site was the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the Oakfield Fire Department.
The man who rents the residence was identified and will be charged, but his name was not released pending the issuance of an arrest warrant.
On Monday evening, the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Department issued a request for the public’s help in locating Micah Lawlor, 38, of Merrill. Lawlor was wanted for trafficking in methamphetamine. Deputy Chief Darrell Crandall said Tuesday that Lawlor was connected with the meth lab that was raided.
Assisting MDEA in the investigation were the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Border Patrol and state police. Last year, there were 20 meth related incidents.
