$400,000 in meth, marijuana confiscated

The task force also finds guns at the scene where two were arrested in Rossville.

The task force also finds guns at the scene where two were arrested in Rossville.

LaFAYETTE — The Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force just had the largest drug bust since January, with more than $400,000 worth of ice methamphetamine and marijuana being seized in Rossville on Tuesday.

According to Task Force Cmdr. Pat Doyle, on Nov. 14 around noon the drug task force searched a residence on 508 James St.

Doyle said this was a short investigation in which authorities had to act quickly.

Investigators found eight pounds of uncut ice meth with a street value of $365,000, plus 5 pounds of high-grade marijuana.

Arrested at the scene were 39-year-old Danyale Renee Cooper and 39-year-old Todd Lee Harmon.

Two firearms were also seized as well.

Doyle said ice meth sells for $80 to $100 per gram. The ice meth confiscated was well over 3,000 grams, Doyle said. The uncut ice meth is typically cut and then other ingredients like MSM, a horse vitamin supplement, is added. This amount of drugs came from a so-called “super lab,” which is common in Mexico, Doyle said.

Doyle said this was the largest drug bust since January in Catoosa County.

LaFayette clarifies junk-vehicle rules

LaFAYETTE — LaFayette City Council, during is Nov. 13 meeting, adopted a new ordinance that clarifies its laws on junk vehicles. The vote was unanimous (5-0).

Codes enforcement officials had maintained that the old ordinance didn’t clearly define what is and isn’t acceptable, which they said paved the way for owners of junk vehicles to skirt the law, City Attorney Ron Womack said.

Womack said the ordinance allows the city to remove a vehicle if it isn’t removed in the time ordered by the court.

The vehicle owner must pay for the cost of removal.

The ordinance addresses vehicles that are: abandoned; discarded (wholly or partially); dismantled; wrecked; scrapped; ruined; missing material parts (such as windshields, hood, lights); missing items (such as the motor, transmission, wheels and tires) that render the vehicle inoperable; missing a current license tag or registration.

“Basically if it is outside and can be seen and (if) it meets one of those nine nuisances, then the codes department has the right to enforce getting rid of it,” Mayor Andy Arnold said.