Crime & Safety

Task Force Busts 'Smurf Central' on Boone's Lick, Police Say

Drug Task Force detectives said the St. Charles home housed a meth lab and a pseudoephedrine collection point.

An anonymous tip led police to stake out a residence in the 200 block of Boone’s Lick Road in St. Charles and later make an arrest.

Patrick Corbett, 44, of the 600 block of Country Lake in St. Peters, was charged Feb. 5 with distributing a controlled substance.

St. Charles County Drug Task Force detectives said a tip indicated there was a meth lab operating at a home in the 200 block of Boone’s Lick Road, and one person was heading to the home to pick up a large amount of pseudoephedrine in exchange for finished meth.

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According to the tip, Corbett and a relative had a large meth operation at the home.

During surveillance on the home, detectives saw the homeowner and Corbett walk from the home and drive away. St. Charles Police stopped the two at 1315 Bass Pro Drive.

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The homeowner told police Corbett and his relative used her house to sell large amounts of methamphetamine, produced the meth in her basement and collected pseudoephedrine from a number of smurfs. "Smurf" is a term used for a network of people who gather pseudoephedrine for meth cooks.

She admitted she sold meth for them and allowed customers to use meth in her home, according to the report.

She told police that Corbett and his relative collected and the relative had a bag with 10 grams of finished meth.

Drug Task Force detectives found a large amount of meth ingredients inside the home on Boone’s Lick, including lye, cold packs, sulfuric acid, camp fuel, syringes, items with meth residue. They also smelled an overwhelming odor associated with cooking meth.

As detectives were searching the home, another man came up to the house and told them he was to sell meth for Corbett in exchange for a place to live. He also confirmed the homeowner’s story regarding a 10-gram bag of meth.

Corbett was being held Friday in St. Charles County jail. Bail was set at $75,000, cash only.

For more crime information on St. Charles Patch, see the following articles:

  •  
  • Surveillance Helps Drug Task Force Net Meth Charges


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