Troopers Snag Portable Meth Lab on I-84 in Vernon

VERNON, CT — A speeding, weaving car led to state police seizing what they described as a “one pot” methamphetamine lab on Interstate-84 on Monday.

On Monday at 5:28 p.m., troopers from the Tolland-based Troop C barracks were conducting a motor vehicle enforcement detail on I-84 westbound in Vernon when they observed a gray Mitsubishi Galant traveling at a high rate of speed and swerving, according to a report.

Troopers stopped the Mitsubishi on I-84 westbound in the area of Exit 65, state police said.

While speaking with the two occupants of the vehicle, troopers determined that narcotics were possibly contained in the vehicle and initiated an investigation, a report indicates.

The driver of the Mitsubishi, Jennifer Jette, granted troopers permission to search the vehicle and troopers located marijuana, prescription amphetamines and Suboxone sublingual film, which were not in their proper original containers, according to a report.

Troopers also located items "consistent with being used in a one pot methamphetamine lab," and confiscated muriatic acid, lye, camping fuel, a hot plate, lithium batteries and other items used to "cook meth," all of which had been recently purchased, and approximately 12.5 grams of cut-up pseudoephedrine pills, according to a report.

Troopers took both occupants of the vehicle into custody and transported them to Troop C, according to a report.

Jette, 33, of Attleboro, MA, was charged with speeding, failure to drive in the proper lane,
failure to keep narcotics in their proper container, possession of drug paraphernalia, and conspiracy to
commit the unauthorized manufacture of narcotics/hallucinogen/amphetamines, according to a report.

Jette was released after posting $10,000 bond and is scheduled to appear at Rockville Superior Court on Aug. 30, state police said.

The passenger, Jay Waterman, 33, of Pawtucket, RI, was charged with conspiracy to
commit the unauthorized manufacture of narcotics/hallucinogen/amphetamines, state police said. Waterman was released after posting $5,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Rockville Superior Court on Aug. 30, state police said.

Photo Credit: Connecticut State Police