Five arrested in traffic stop meth bust

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. (WALA) - The discovery of a shake-and-bake meth lab in Jackson County, Miss. led narcotics officers to a much bigger operation and caused to the closing of three rooms in a motel.

A lucky clue

An employee at Economy Inn in Ocean Springs said room 114 has been off-limits since police discovered it was being used in a drug operation. A clue uncovered during a traffic stop led Ocean Springs Police there.

The bust began when officers pulled a car over near Vermont Street and Bienville Blvd. because it had no tag. Police said Kelly Wilson, Edward Muesall Jr., Sabrina Hurst and Bradley Cook were inside.

"He smelled a strong ammonia odor coming out of the vehicle. Further investigation revealed the individuals in the vehicle were in possession of crystal methamphetamine along with precursors," Detective William Jackson with the Ocean Springs Police Department said.

They also found some stolen property, a laptop and a gun, among other things, in the vehicle. They also found key card to the motel.

"During the investigation we realized that there was possibly more crystal meth in a hotel with other suspects,“ Jackson said.

Police served a search warrant on the room tied to the card.

"Meth was being cooked inside the room," Jackson added.

Condemned

Anil Patel said he had no clue what was going on behind those doors. He said the group checked in only hours before the bust.

Officials said the chemicals that were in room 114 had the potential to be so harmful that authorities condemned the room and the adjacent rooms for safety reasons.

"The fumes and the dust appears to seep through other rooms and there were also other people in other rooms and it was going back and forth," Jackson said.

Police said the group was making enough crystal meth to use and sell.

They were thankful to put a stop to it before people were harmed.

All four suspects are charged with felony manufacturing meth.