Published June 14, 2009 02:36 pm - Before calling the police over to your house, it might be a good idea to dispose of the smoking meth lab in the back room first.

Robbery complaint leads to meth bust at home of man making complaint

By Patrick McCreless
The Cullman Times

Before calling the police over to your house, it might be a good idea to dispose of the smoking meth lab in the back room first.

Hanceville Police arrested Billy Floyd Norris, 33, Sunday at his residence on County Road 616 for unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

Capt. Jimmy Rodgers said officers allegedly discovered a working meth lab at Norris’ residence while responding to a robbery call.

“He reported he had been robbed by his roommates,” Rodgers said. “We were never able to verify that.”

Rodgers said during the course of the investigation of the alleged robbery, Norris told officers there was a meth lab at the location.

“Supposedly he and his friends had been making meth all night,” Rodgers said.

When officers located the lab, they discovered it was still active, Rodgers said.

“It was actually still producing meth,” he said.

Also recovered at the scene were several ounces of crystal meth, all the ingredients used to manufacture the drug, drug paraphernalia, a 50-caliber rifle and two shotguns.

Cullman Narcotics Enforcement Team (CNET) agents were called to the scene to take samples and positively identify the seized chemicals and drugs. Officers then contacted a private cleaning company to dispose of the hazardous waste at the residence.

“They removed two to three barrels of contaminated products,” Rodgers said.

Norris is incarcerated at the Cullman County Detention Center on a $1 million bond.

Unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance is a Class A felony, punishable by up to life in prison. Unlawful possession of a controlled substance in a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.