By Leah Justice

leah.justice@tryondailybulletin.com

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office arrested a woman Monday night after finding materials to make a clandestine methamphetamine lab.

Polk County deputies pulled over a vehicle at the intersection of hwy. 9 and Hwy. 108 at Deb’s Mini Mart in Mill Spring.

Officers became suspicious during questioning of the driver and discovered evidence of a meth lab.

Vickie Ruff Lindsey, 53, of Polk County Line Road, Rutherfordton, was arrested and charged with felony manufacturing of methamphetamine, felony possession of methamphetamine, maintaining a vehicle to keep a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, misdemeanor possession of a schedule II controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of a schedule IV controlled substance, according to sheriff reports.

Deputies first called investigators from the sheriff’s office and after a search warrant was obtained and substances indicating a lab were discovered, the sheriff’s office called the Mill Spring Fire Department and the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) to assist with processing the lab.

During this time, Deb’s Mini Mart was closed and the parking lot was roped off for the public’s safety, according to the sheriff’s office.

The search of the vehicle revealed two separate “one pot” meth labs, precursor chemicals for a lab and 1.7 grams of methamphetamine, according to sheriff reports.

Lindsey was taken into custody without incident.

She is currently being held in custody under no bond. The investigation is ongoing with additional charges still possible, according to the sheriff’s office.