Meth lab problem in Lake County

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Lake County is being listed as the number one place for the most meth lab busts in the entire state.

The Sheriff's Office is making a new push to shut down meth labs, and it's not cheap.

Deputies are now being trained to watch for signs of meth labs everywhere.

Lake County deputies arrested two people Wednesday night in Paisley. They say they found all the makings of a meth lab. That raid makes number 43 for the year, the most ever in Lake County.

Deputies say they have the most meth busts Florida. That's why they formed their own meth lab team. Four deputies and a sergeant who track down meth labs and tell others how to be their eyes and ears.

“There's a strong chemical smell associated. Typically when there's a meth lab cook going on there’s not much traffic, but right after the cook is finished and final product is made you'll see a lot of in and out traffic from the house," said Capt. Gerry Montalvo.

It's not just homes. Cops are finding meth labs in hotel rooms and even cars.

“They are actually just packing them up in a back pack, or a bin, put them in a trunk of a vehicle and traveling from hotel to hotel or house to house," said Capt. Gerry Montalvo.

This is not a cheap problem to have. Deputies say it costs anywhere from $3 to $10 thousand to cleanup a small meth lab, because of all the dangerous chemicals.