Police Find Thousands in Meth After Traffic Stop

— A Washington County Sheriff’s sergeant found thousands of dollars in suspected methamphetamine on Christmas Day along with a powdered horse supplement used to cut the drug.

Melinda Labeff, 30, of Springdale who told police she is homeless, faces felony charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sgt. Josh McConnell noticed a cracked windshield on the 1994 Cadillac driven by Labeff and stopped her at Sunset Avenue and 64th Street in Springdale.

While waiting for information from dispatchers, McConnell noticed from his car Labeff was putting a shoebox in the back seat and appeared to be hiding something on the driver’s side. McConnell arrested Labeff after learning she had an outstanding warrant.

While searching Labeff’s car, McConnell found a bag with 1.5 grams of suspected meth, another with 4.3 grams and one with 15.7 grams. He also found 38.2 grams wrapped in aluminum foil, police said.

A bag containing a cellphone-size digital scale, spoons, a pipe with methamphetamine residue and small empty plastic bags were also found in the car.

The small bags and suspected methamphetamine later tested positive, police said. The large amounts were taken to the State Crime Lab for testing, said Kelly Cantrell, Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman.

The street value for the combined 59.7 grams is estimated at about $6,000, if sold by the gram, Cantrell said. That works out to about $1,600 an ounce.

Police also found DuMor MSM, or powdered methylsulfonylmethane, used for horse joint and hip health. Labeff told McConnell the powder was intended to be mixed with drugs and she bought it for a friend, according to the arrest report.

Labeff was released from the Washington County Detention Center Tuesday on $3,500 bond. A male passenger in Labeff’s car was not arrested.

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