Drug Task Force raids meth lab in Salem house where 2 young children live

For the second time in two weeks, there has been a drug raid in the same Salem neighborhood.

On July 25 there was one at a house on E. Sixth Street. Wednesday, it was a meth lab three streets away on E. Third Street.

Throughout the afternoon on Wednesday, deputies with the Columbiana County Drug Task Force could be seen in hazardous materials suits, walking in and out of the house between Hawley and Union avenues.

"We got a meth lab. Started off with a tip that came into the task force. We come out to check it out," said Lt. Brian McLaughlin of the Columbiana County Drug Task Force.

McLaughlin says a man, woman and two kids lived in the house.

"There was a lot of waste product from the labs just packed into closets," McLaughlin said.

Among the items brought out were plastic bottles and about a dozen cans of camp fuel.

McLaughlin says the neighborhood wasn't in danger, but those inside the house were.

"There was two small children here too, so it's not a good environment. I mean, you see the chemical wear we're going in with, and they were living right there in this," he said.

People living nearby were outside taking pictures and wondering what was going on.

"They had a lot of people over there every once in a while but I just figured they were the neighborhood-friendly types," said Shane Sylvester, who lives next door.

Another neighbor, Jeff Seidner, lives across the street from the house. He says he's concerned this is happening in his neighborhood.

"Right across the street is kind of scary, yeah. This is kind of a bad street, it's known for the drugs and stuff. Hopefully, they'll get it cleaned up," he said.

While it was a meth lab operation today, McClaughlin says these type of operations are becoming rarer.

"We've actually seen a decrease in labs as much of Ohio has because we're seeing the crystal methamphetamine coming in, which we know is coming from Mexico," McLaughlin said.

By 6:30 p.m., deputies had already been there for three and a half hours and had only gone through one room. They had no idea how much longer they would be.

No one has been arrested yet, but McLaughlin says someone will be.

Published by https://www.wytv.com/news/local-news/drug-task-force-at-home-in-salem/1355216624