2 Busted For N.J. Meth Lab Drug Operation

Two people are in custody, and a methamphetamine lab lodged in a self-storage facility unit has been dismantled following an investigation into a multi-county New Jersey drug operation, authorities said Thursday.

The investigation yielded information that the two suspects had been distributing methamphetamine primarily in Union County, according to acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park.

Ashley Weathers, 32, and Christian Boyle, 40, both residents of Freehold Township, are both charged with first-degree maintaining a controlled dangerous substance production facility; second-degree possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute; and a related third-degree drug charge, authorities said.

The two were pulled over on Routes 1 and 9 in Rahway Wednesday evening, and approximately 15 grams of methamphetamine were seized from the vehicle, after which they were arrested and lodged in Union County Jail.

A search warrant subsequently executed at Boyle’s Freehold Borough storage unit by members of the Task Force, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Freehold Borough Police Department revealed a fully functional methamphetamine lab, complete with large amounts of pseudoephedrine, chemicals commonly mixed with that drug to produce methamphetamine and the various pieces of equipment needed to mix them, authorities said.

The apparatus was dismantled safely by members of the New Jersey State Police Hazardous Materials Response Unit and the Monmouth County Hazmat Unit, and evidence was seized and processed by the Union County Sheriff’s Office’s Identification Unit.

Bail for Weathers and Boyle was set at $250,000 apiece. Convictions on first-degree criminal charges are commonly punishable by 10 to 20 years in state prison, while second-degree crimes are punishable by five to 10 years.