2 Meth Labs Dismantled at Same Location In Less Than a Year

Police and Drug Agents spent yesterday investigating a suspected meth lab. The location was familiar, as a methamphetamine manufacturing operation was shut down in the same building last October.

Maine Drug agents and East Millinocket Police executed a search at 81 Main Street in East Millinocket on Thursday for suspicion of a methamphetamine manufacturing operation in apartment #2. It's the same location where a meth lab was discovered and dismantled in October of 2014.

The search was in relation to bail conditions placed on Nicholas Champagne, age 23, who lives there and is currently out on bail stemming from possession of meth charges which were filed by East Millinocket Police in July. During that search, police found items commonly used during the manufacturing of meth using the 'one-pot' or 'shake and bake' method.The operation was dismantled by the MDEA's Clandestine Lab Response Team and evidence was collected.

Champagne was initially charged with bail violations. In addition, he has been charged with Class 'A' Aggravated Trafficking (manufacturing) in schedule W drugs (meth). The charges were elevated to 'aggravated' because the residence is within 1000 feet of a school.

East Milinocket Police and the MDEA were assisted at the scene by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and the East Millinocket Fire Department.