Jersey City police raid meth lab, make an arrest

Monday, February 15, 2010
By CHARLES HACK
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

A narcotics raid at a West Side apartment Friday evening closed down a meth lab and resulted in the arrest of its operator Friday evening, police reports said.

Emmanuel C. Reyes, 46, of West Side Avenue in Jersey City was charged with drug possession, drug distribution near a school and within 500 feet of public property, operating a drug production facility, using booby traps at the facility and weapons possession, reports said.

Using a search warrant, police found the meth lab when they entered the apartment on West Side Avenue near Boyd Avenue at 6:57 p.m. Friday.

The raid came after a five-day narcotics investigation that followed a complaint from a local resident about apparent drug activity in the building.

Reyes was with a 24-year-old woman and 45-year-old man in the apartment when he answered the door.

Police arrested Reyes after spotting a kitchen garbage can with objects in it containing crystal methamphetamine.

After discovering several propane tanks in the apartment, police evacuated the building and contacted the Jersey City Fire Department Hazmat team.

The team inspected the apartment before declaring it safe to continue the investigation.

With the help of the JCPD Emergency Services Unit, which is trained in dealing with meth labs, investigators found chemicals and hazardous laboratory materials used for manufacturing crystal meth.

Also found was an unspecified amount of the drug itself, police reports said.

Police also found scales and bags used for measuring and packaging the drug for street sale.

Police also removed a pellet gun and $1,716 in cash.