By By KATHIE HEMPEL / Niles Daily Star
NILES – A 10-year-old girl has been turned over to the Department of Human Services for foster care after a methamphetamine lab was discovered at 2483 Yankee St., Forlers Motel, in Howard Township.
F/Lt. Michael Brown Niles Post of the Michigan State Police said that the girl and her mother lived in Unit No. 2, where the building components for a small meth lab were discovered along with a small quantity of methamphetamine.
Troopers from the Niles Post were visiting the residence Monday at approximately 1 p.m. with a parole officer from the Michigan Department of Corrections to insure James Owens, 41, of that address, was following the terms of his parole while in the State of Michigan.
Owens had moved in with the mother and her daughter a month ago. His parole was transferred from Indiana about the same time.
Owens and the mother, who has not been identified, have multiple charges pending with the Cass County Prosecutors Office as a result of the bust. Charges involve the alleged possession of methamphetamine and operating and maintaining a methamphetamine laboratory, according to Brown.
Troopers from the Niles post contacted the Southwest Enforcement Team (SWET) to dismantle and dispose of the hazardous materials from the methamphetamine lab.
"Pseudoephedrine as found in medicines for the common cold, Coleman fuel, drain cleaner and lithium batteries were among the items seized. These are all the precursors for a small meth lab," F/Lt. Brown said.
The meth problem is small and intermittent in the greater Niles area, Brown added. Pseudoephedrine laws, which have placed the drugs behind the pharmacy counter seem to have had a big impact on those trying to obtain the components, he said.
The laws enacted Dec. 15, 2005, restricts the sale of any product containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine to persons over the age of 18. Personal possession of no more than 13 grams is allowed.
Final charges against Owens and his female companion are expected to be released by late today or Thursday.