FHP busts mobile meth lab in Yulee, FL, headed from Charleston, SC to Apopka, FL
Photo taken during traffic stop courtesy of FHP.
Suspects charged with trafficking, possession and production of methamphetamine and introduciong felony contraband into Florida
Yulee (Nassau County), Florida - On July 6, 2023, Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) troopers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle suspected of having illegal window tint. The vehicle was stopped while traveling southbound on I-95 near the Florida Welcome Center. The 42 year-old female driver and her 41 year-old male passenger were on the way to Apopka, Florida, from Charleston, South Carolina.
During the traffic stop while measuring the window tint, the trooper noticed that the driver and passenger both displayed numerous symptoms and behaviors that indicated the use of narcotics.
During a search of the vehicle, the trooper located liquid and crystal methamphetamine, along with materials used to make both drugs.
The trooper requested that a hazardous materials unit be dispatched to the scene of the traffic stop, as the chemicals used to make methamphetamine are hazardous and flammable, posing various health risks to anyone inhaling or ingesting them. Methamphetamine can also cause severe burns if it comes into contact with the skin.
Officials with Nassau County Fire Rescue, the Nassau County Sheriff's Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) also responded to the scene.
The nearby Florida Welcome Center, located at 751829 Interstate 95 in Yulee, Florida, was evacuated and closed, and first responders assisted its employees and visitors to safety.
Both occupants of the vehicle were transported to the Nassau County Jail in Yulee, Florida and will be charged with trafficking, possession, and manufacturing/production of methamphetamine.
They will also face charges of introducing felony contraband into Florida, and the driver will be issued a citation for illegal window tint.