By Mary Meaux

The News staff writer

PORT NECHES — Nestled among expensive, pristine homes and a Methodist Church along Nall Street is an older, run-down garage apartment.

The apartment, visible from the street but pushed back at the end of a driveway, was the focus of a methamphetamine bust Tuesday night.

A 26-year-old man was taken into custody and faces state drug charges, a second degree felony.

Sgt. Danny Buckholz and Capt. Paul Lemoine spoke about the bust on Wednesday.

“Police developed information from a source who then passed this information to a narcotics officer,” Lemoine said.

After surveillance and investigation on the residence, located at 1839 Nall St., police were able to gather enough information for a warrant. Officers obtained a warrant from District Judge Gary Sanderson and at about 9:40 p.m. Tuesday, a team consisting of Port Neches Police officers, Drug Task Force and Drug Enforcement Administration entered the home and arrested the 26-year-old suspect.

Inside the home were precursors to the manufacture of methamphetamines, paraphernalia for the sale of the drug, meth oil and a small amount of the end product, Lemoine said.

Officers had a long wait at the house while a hazardous materials team from San Antonio came in to clean up the highly flammable lab inside the residence.

Buckholz said this is the fourth meth house busted in the city in about three years.

The other meth houses were located on Block Street and Grigsby, he said. A few years back a Nederland meth house was busted and a Port Neches resident arrested.

Currently, PNPD has one officer assigned to narcotics.

PN City Manager Randy Kimler said the city first received some funding for a narcotics officer in 1997 as a 75 percent state to 25 percent city matching grant. The money slowly dwindled and last year council decided to fund the program for another 12 months with the previous officer absorbed into the force. Council will revisit the issue at 4 p.m. Thursday during the city council meeting. Chief Gene Marsh is asking the city to retain a narcotics officer position, Kimler said. The officer would be a patrol officer and also work on narcotics issues should council approve the funding.