Kalamazoo, MI: Yesterday, December 17, 2008, officers from the Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team (KVET) investigated an anonymous tip of an underground cave in the woods off the 1400 block of Charles in the City of Kalamazoo. The tip reported that the cave lead to an underground room wherein a man secretly cooked methamphetamine. As darkness approached, officers located the cave with the assistance of fresh footprints left in the snow, to and from the hole in the ground. Due to the hazards of on-coming darkness and the fact this was a confined space safety hazard, KVET officer returned in the morning.
At approximately 10:00 a.m., KVET officers, assisted by two federal agents from the United States Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and officers from the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety SWAT team and K9 team addressed the underground room. The KDPS SWAT members used specialized camera equipment to reach some 15 feet through the cave to view the contents of the room to guard against “booby-traps” and to ensure their were no occupants within. Officers then manually removed the earth and debris above the hidden room, to include tree limbs, lumber, tarps for waterproofing, and sheets of insulation.
An unusually large quantity of meth production waste and components were located in the underground room. It was evident that many “one-pot” meth cooks took place here, and the hazardous leftovers were plentiful. Examples of other items present were: a mattress, chairs, cupboards, kerosene heater, Coleman lanterns, and more. The room was apparently used as a cabin of sorts. Officers did not locate finished meth product, which is common when suspects are not present.
KVET officers and the DEA agents trained to dismantle clandestine meth labs put on protective equipment, including breathing apparatus, and removed the hazardous materials from the below ground cavern. A hazardous waste company responded to dispose of the hazardous materials.
Due to a meth lab bust that KVET did on May 12th of this year, the suspect in this case, Ronald Craig Jenkins (44 year old white male, 5’6, 150lbs.) is already a wanted felon. As a result of that prior lab, Jenkins has outstanding warrants for Operating and Maintaining a Meth Lab and Probation Violation. Reference today’s large underground lab, KVET will seek charges against Jenkins for Operating and Maintaining a Meth Lab.
A reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of Ronald Craig Jenkins. Citizens are encouraged to call KVET at 269-337-8880, Silent Observer at 269-343-2100 or www.kalamazoosilentobserver.com or call the local police department if time is of the essence and the suspect may leave his location.
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