ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Five people were arrested after detectives found four meth labs at a St. Augustine home Friday, according to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office.
The SWAT team was called to the home at 955 S. Holmes Blvd., near State Road 207, just before 9 a.m., which is protocol in cases in which there are felons on the scene.
IMAGES: Mug shots of 5 arrested
Deputies said a warrant was obtained following numerous neighborhood complaints of alleged narcotic activity and a lengthy investigation by detectives.
They said several structures, along with the main home, were searched on the property, and detectives found two active and two inactive meth labs.
In addition, nearly 82 grams of meth oil was seized, along with a large amount of precursors and drug paraphernalia, deputies said.
Arrested were Darlene Clarkson, 48; Denise Nottingham, 29; Theron Taylor, 37; Misty Harris, 39; and Brandon Corbin Sr., 32.
Four others were questioned and released.
All nine were decontaminated by St. Johns County Fire Rescue personnel. Deputies said the investigation is ongoing.
"It's a shame this stuff is happening all over town right now, it seems," neighbor Robert Sinift said. "Just pulling into the next driveway, I can see what appears to be children's bicycles. That's really a shame to me. I don't know if this is an epidemic. I don't know if you can stop it. But something has to be done."
Pazcual Luviano owns a small business nearby.
"I'm worried because, I mean, I've got five kids around that are around this area. We didn't know anything about it until I saw this," he said.
"Hopefully they get everybody and it doesn't go into other neighborhoods and stuff like that, but you never know," Sinift said. "It's a bad, bad habit there."