HCSO investigates discovery of meth items

 The Highland County Sheriff's Office is currently investigating an incident Monday in which items believed to be related to the manufacture of methamphetamine were discovered in the Rocky Fork Lake Area.  

According to the HCSO, a resident reported discovering a backpack Monday evening in the 11000 block of Highland Hills Drive.

 Highland County Sheriff Ron Ward said that items allegedly related to a meth lab were "soaking" in the backpack. Hillsboro Fire and Rescue also responded to the scene, while the items were dismantled and processed.  

No arrests were made, and the incident remains under investigation. 

Ward said that law enforcement is appreciative when residents remain diligent and can report suspicious activity. However, he said that they should be cautious because sometimes meth-related items pose a threat of injury. 

"We're finding these things in duffel bags and discarded along the road, in backpacks or some type of container," Ward said. "We would caution anyone who finds anything that looks suspicious, smells suspicious, to call us right away so we can dispatch trained personnel. In some cases, chemicals when mixed or inhaled in an enclosed environment can cause chemicals burns (or other injuries). There have been a lot of calls over the last couple of years, and sometimes they do turn out to be mobile meth labs or the remnants of meth labs. We caution people when opening any kind of container like that because it can lead to injury."