Two different labs located in different area’s of the state bring the total of meth labs uncovered by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency to 25 already this year. 

Sherman fire and methamphetamine lab
SHERMAN — The State Fire Marshal's Office says a meth lab has been located after a fire Sunday inside a shed in Sherman. Treated at the scene of the fire was 45-year-old Todd Budick for burns to his hands, arms and face. Budick then left the scene.

Sunday's fire was discovered by an off-duty firefighter who drove by the property on Gallison Road and saw that Budick's clothes were on fire. Fire investigators have been joined today by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency's lab team which is cleaning up the remnants of the meth lab discovered inside the shed. Two weeks ago, the house that Budick lived in on the property burned to the ground. Fire investigators suspected that methamphetamine may have played a role in the fire, but the cause could not be determined because of the damage. The making of methamphetamine is highly flammable and explosive. 

Lewiston Methamphetamine lab and arrests
LEWISTON — The Maine Drug Enforcement Agency announces the arrest of two men in Lewiston for manufacturing Methamphetamine.

Arrested were 35-year-old Raymond Nelson and 32-year-old Merlin Ellingwood, both from Lewiston and both charged with Unlawful Operation of a Methamphetamine Laboratory, Class B. Nelson also goes by the name of Kent Lathrop.

Sunday evening, agents from the MDEA Western District Task Force arrested the two at an apartment they were staying in at 197 Bartlett Street. A search of the apartment found a "One Pot" meth lab and other items used to manufacture methamphetamine.

Due to the extremely dangerous nature of methamphetamine manufacturing, members of the MDEA Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement Team were utilized to seize the evidence with the Maine State Department of Environmental Protection assisting at the scene to safely dispose of the items.

Nelson and Ellingwood were arrested and transported to the Androscoggin County Jail. Bail was set for Nelson at $10,000 cash. Ellingwood's bail was set at $500 cash.

Agents and Lewiston Police had received information that the two men has been making meth at different locations throughout the Lewiston area. The renter of the apartment was not present at the time of the arrests. The investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are expected.

This makes 25 meth lab responses by MDEA this year.