Another Meth Lab Goes Down

City police raided another methamphetamine lab in Portales early Wednesday morning and arrested a man and his wife who were on probation.

Police arrested Rachael Martinez, 31, and Michael Martinez, 36, on trafficking, violation of probation and possession charges around 4:30 a.m. at their home on the 1700 block of North Abilene.

Both suspects are being held at the Roosevelt County Detention Center on a probation violation hold; they both can not be released until the probation officer lifts the hold.

The laboratory bust was the third in the past six months made by the city’s police department.

Portales Police Capt. Lonnie Berry said methamphetamine is becoming a popular drug not only in the southwest but nationwide because chemicals needed to manufacture the drug are readily available.

“Meth is becoming one of the most used drugs that we’re seeing right now nationwide,” Berry said. “The drug is easier to make (than others) in general. At one time making it was a fairly long and detailed process that had to have a lot of chemicals that are difficult to obtain and to do, and in the last few years, the process has become simpler and can be made with several over-the -counter-type things.”

A probation officer who was visiting the house noticed the chemicals in the residence and notified police. State police and a chemical-testing company in Albuquerque assisted Portales police officers in determining chemical contents and making the arrests.