Five meth labs busted during raid
Five methamphetamine labs were busted Wednesday as part of a meth crackdown which saw over 20 officers simultaneously approach numerous residences where meth trafficking was suspected.
Four of the meth labs were found in Van Buren County while one was discovered in Warren County. The local lab was found in the residence of Robert Cain Hollandsworth located on Shady Rest Road. He is charged with manufacture of meth.
The lab seizures came as part of an operation called “Knock and Talk” which is being used around the state to combat drug problems. The operation basically concentrates 20 to 40 officers in one area, in this case the 31st Judicial District including Warren and Van Buren counties. The officers then approach houses where, in this case, meth production is suspected. They then knock on the door and talk to the resident, looking for any indication that a lab is located in the residence.
While the operation does not always lead to the discovery of a lab, Sheriff Jackie Matheny said it does provide a wealth of information lawmen will use later to bust meth operations.
“This was actually quite productive,” Matheny said of the Wednesday operation. “We got a lot of information we can use, plus we sent a strong message that we might be showing up on doorsteps, and we will.”
Matheny said officers appeared on 65 doorsteps during the one-day operation, noting some suspects were not home, meaning lawmen may go back at a later date to talk with them. Local officers were assisted in the Knock and Talk operation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, federal Drug Enforcement Agency, and Midstate sheriff’s departments, including those in White and Putnam counties.