The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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May 2, 2008

Traffic stop results in meth lab bust

Dan Nienaber

VERNON CENTER — A traffic stop south of Garden City Thursday evolved into the discovery of an active methamphetamine lab and stolen property worth thousands of dollars in a rural Vernon Center home.

It’s the first active methamphetamine lab authorities have found in Blue Earth County in well over a year, said Capt. Rich Murry of the Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Department. The labs were more common before state laws were enacted to restrict the sales of pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient for methamphetamine manufacturing.

Curtis John Rathai, 39, was stopped and arrested for an outstanding warrant while driving on Blue Earth County Road 13, just east of the Highway 169 intersection at 7 a.m. Thursday. Methamphetamine was found in the vehicle.

Information obtained through the arrest resulted in a search warrant being executed at a residence on County Road 142, about a mile southeast of Vernon Center, that is being rented by Dale Gerald Waibel, 37. He was arrested after the methamphetamine lab and stolen property were found.

Two Plasma cutters, $900 tools used for cutting steel, stolen from two Mankato-area businesses and a shotgun confirmed stolen from Marshall were among the recovered property. A large number of power tools and hand tools also were found.



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