Seized drugs valued at $3 million



Dan Reynolds of Bio Hazard Remediation exits the scene where material used to manufacture drugs was removed from a house Tuesday in the 2500 block of North Linder Avenue. Police said about $3 million in methamphetamine was seized overnight. (Tribune photo by Heather Stone / March 25, 200



THE BLOTTER
10:04 AM CDT, March 25, 2008

Methamphetamine and cocaine valued by police at almost $3 million was seized Monday night from an apartment on Chicago's Northwest Side that may have been a meth lab, police said Tuesday morning. (In an earlier report, police had estimated the value of the methamphetamine at $1 million.)

Officers were not certain that methamphetamine was made at the site, but said they found production apparatus.

"There were nine trays of methamphetamine that were in the drying process," Sgt. Richard Sliva said. "But they had all the material that was used to cook it there. They had a stove there."

A 29-year-old man living in the apartment in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood was taken into custody, but no charges have been filed, according to police.

Police executed a search warrant in the 2500 block of North Linder Avenue about 9:30 p.m. and found 9 kilograms of methamphetamine and 790 grams of cocaine, Grand Central District police said, citing preliminary information. A TEC-9 pistol was also found in the apartment, police said.

The search warrant resulted from an investigation, Sliva said, but he would not indicate how long the apartment was under surveillance. He said he anticipates charges will be filed against the suspect.

Jeremy Gorner and Kristen Kridel, Tribune reporters
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