Heartland Investigators Make Substantial Meth Bust (Missouri)

By: Ryan Tate

New Madrid County Sheriff Terry Stevens calls Friday's methamphetamine bust the "biggest ever" in his county.

Crews with the sheriff's department and the Southeast Missouri Drug Task Force raided the New Madrid One Stop Friday, arrested five people, confiscated two pounds of meth and an undisclosed amount of cash. Investigators then raided a home in New Madrid, and confiscated another three pounds of meth.

Deputies arrested Mary Lawrence, Harold Lawrence, Darin Allen, Candice Allen and Mark Townsend. Prosecutors charge all five with possession of meth, and four got an additional charge.

Sheriff Stevens says his investigators got tips about drug activity at the convenient store in downtown New Madrid, and kept an eye on the place for months before the raid.

"We had some suspicions right away after seeing the traffic, and the place didn't sell gas," Sheriff Stevens said.

The New Madrid One Stop is located only about 25 yards from the Sheriff's Department.

"It's highly unusual for someone to be that brazen in close proximity to a sheriff's department," Sheriff Stevens added.

Investigators put the street value of the Meth confiscated at about three-quarters of a million dollars.
http://www.kfvs12.com/Global/story.asp?S=4935834&nav=8H3x