Posted on: Friday, September 10, 2004
Police find crystal meth drug lab in Kona home
By Christie Wilson
Neighbor Island Editor
Police raided a Kona home this week looking for a drug dealer, but instead found an ice-manufacturing operation.
Lt. Mitchell Kanehailua said it was only the second time Big Island police had uncovered a full-fledged drug lab, one that was making crystal methamphetamine from scratch using assorted chemicals. The first was a Hilo case from 1998, he said.
A 28-year-old Kalaoa woman was arrested on numerous drug charges, but was released while police await detailed analysis of the substances found in her studio residence on the Onaona Drive property. An 11-month-old baby at the home was placed in the care of the woman's grandparents, who live in a separate residence on the property, Kanehailua said. Child Welfare Services is investigating, he said, and the woman is facing additional charges of reckless endangering.
The search warrant was executed at 6:05 a.m. Tuesday by officers with the West Hawai'i Ice Task Force, the Vice Section and Airport Smuggling Unit. After discovering the drug lab, Kanehailua said the studio and the grandparents' home were evacuated and a crime lab team summoned.
It took the team more than two days to process the lab, which Kanehailua said contained chemicals used in the manufacture of crystal meth, including acetone, iodine and pseudoephedrine cold tablets. Officers recovered a small amount of dried marijuana, a one-tenth gram of crystal methamphetamine, and nearly 13 pounds of a liquid that tested positive for methamphetamine. An additional 7.5 pounds of methamphetamine liquid were recovered from a car parked at the home.
Pacific Environmental Corp. of Honolulu was called in to dispose of the substances. Additional cleanup may be necessary because of chemical spills and other contamination.
Kanehailua said owners of rental properties used for illegal drug labs may end up paying thousands of dollars in cleanup costs. He said the owner of the Hilo home that was used for a drug lab spent $120,000 on a required cleanup, including removal of 3 feet of soil from the property.
Police have been receiving an increase in tips about illegal drug activity on the Big Island, which has been branded as having one of the worst crystal meth problems in the country. Kanehailua said officers executing Tuesday's search warrant had no idea they would stumble on a ice-making operation. He said they were going after a drug dealer.
Anyone with information about the distribution or manufacturing of crystal methamphetamine and other illegal drugs should call the Kona Ice Hotline at (808) 329-ZERO-ICE (329-0423) or Kanehailua at (808) 326-4646, Ext. 226.
Reach Christie Wilson at cwilson@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 244-4880.
