Meth Making Major Comeback

A meth bust in Soddy Daisy lands 5 people behind bars, including a father and son.  Now we're digging deeper into the new way to make the dangerous drug as we learn meth is making a major comeback.  The new form of meth making can come in a plastic soda bottle.  Inside, people combine all the chemical ingredients, then simply shake it up, instead of using heat.  It's called shake and bake and police say it's adding to the number of meth labs that have more than doubled this year.

Kristina Pierce lives and manages the Card and Dent Mobile Home where a lab was busted Tuesday night.  "Police had warned us to keep an eye on certain areas, never mentioned across the street from us so it was a real big shock."

The shock set in Wednesday that inside the trailer was a working shake and bake meth lab, right next to where Kristina Pierce lives and in the community where she works.  "With the kids here, there's ton of kids here everyday, it's scary to let your kids go walking if one of these places could blow up anytime."

Fortunately, before it could blow up, it was busted up, Tuesday night around 7:30 when Soddy Daisy Police got a tip.  Chief Phil Hamrick says, "Our officers received information there was a possible meth lab being operated here and in conjunction with Hamilton County we did a knock and talk and found a working meth lab."

Police pulled out all the chemicals and containers used to make the meth, along with 5 people inside.  They are now charged with manufacturing methamphetamine.  Police say they all have previous criminal histories, and several have been arrested for drug charges before.

Police tell us that while meth making did decrease in years past, now it's making a major comeback.  And so far this year police say they've busted more than double the number of labs than normal.  Pierce says because of the shake and bake method, she had no idea what was being made here.  "I had just got done talking with the people about back rent and there was an 80 year old woman there we were worried about, next thing I know there's cops everywhere, so it was kind of scary."

A scary situation Pierce is now trying to move out of their community.  "It's real hard to get it cleaned up, but we're trying our hardest."

An ambulance was called to that scene as well for the elderly lady living inside, but police say she refused medical care.