By Jacqueline Koch
The Chattanooga Times Free Press
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Chattanooga police on Monday discovered a methamphetamine lab in a motel room for the third time this year, and they’re not sure why the city has experienced a sudden upsurge in meth-making in motels.
“It’s the first time we’ve ever experienced this problem,” said Chattanooga Police Department spokeswoman Sgt. Jerri Weary. “I have no idea why. More people smoking meth, I guess.”
About 9 a.m. Monday, police were searching for an individual with several outstanding warrants at the Econo Lodge at 7421 Bonny Oaks Drive when they noticed an odd odor in the area, Sgt. Weary said.
They located the lab in Room 107 and called the narcotics unit to investigate. A hazardous materials team responded to contain and remove the lab, Sgt. Weary said. Five suspects are in custody, but their identities have not been released and they have yet to be charged, according to police.
No injuries had been reported and no one was evacuated as a result of the incident, Sgt. Weary said.
The Econo Lodge manager, who would not be identified by his full name, said Monday that in his seven years at the motel he never before has had occupants make meth. He said the suspects checked into Room 107 about 2 or 3 a.m.
Meth makers choose motel rooms as labs because they don’t risk damaging or drawing attention to their private residence, said Tommy Farmer, director of the Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force.
“Hotel rooms have always been a problem,” he said. “They register in someone else’s name and they get to leave.”
Increased vigilance by motel staff, other occupants and law enforcement have helped seize more labs inside motels, he added.
“We have pamphlets specifically for hotel and motel clerks and staff that tells them, ‘Hey, if you’re cleaning a room and smell odd chemicals or see wrappers or chemicals, these could be used to manufacture meth and you should notify local law enforcement,’ ” Mr. Farmer said.
Meth lab seizures in Tennessee had shown an increase in January and February of this year, officials said in April. Up until that point, lab seizures had declined since 2004, when the state saw 1,559 seizures.
Copyright 2008 The Chattanooga Times Free Press