NEW HOLLAND, LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. -- A major Lancaster County meth bust lands a Salisbury Township man in jail.
Detectives with the Lancaster County Drug Task Force had been following the activity of Marion "Chet" Griffin Jr. for while before raiding his home last week.
Griffin isn't accused of making meth but selling it. Stopping the crimes and dangers which go along with drug trafficking is why the Lancaster County district attorney considers this a good catch.
It was along the 800-block of Narvon Road in Salisbury Township, a quiet country road, where the Drug Task Force made a major arrest.
Lancaster County district attorney Craig Stedman said "he's an upper level dealer of methamphetamine, about $12,000 worth of street value, about 81 grams worth."
Those weren't the only supplies detectives found in Griffin's camper.
"There was a weapon too, and that's not atypical. Guns and drugs go together. You have the violence, they'll use violence to protect their business, $12,000 worth, that's a lot of money," Stedman said.
Lancaster County D.A.'s office said it uncovered evidence Griffin was selling out of a home on the 800-block of East Main Street in New Holland.
"He was on the radar. He had moved locations, and changed to a camper and that's where we were able to get him," Stedman said.
Griffin faces charges of drug trafficking, unlawful possession of a firearm, and drug paraphernalia.
High bail for these high crimes has been set at $3.5 million, typically to break a dealer's cycle.
"Particularly the higher level dealer, they'll post bail and they'll get out. Then, they'll sell more to pay the bondsman, to pay their attorney," Stedman said.
Stedman remarked people addicted to meth may face a different vicious cycle.
"These people turn into the living dead. Their teeth start falling out, their skin starts peeling away, and it ends up one way. It ends up in death," Stedman said.
Some hope arrests like this one will eventually bring meth users and drug traffic to a stop.
"It will save those people who were going to use those 81 grams, and there's definitely a presence of methamphetamine in eastern Lancaster county" Stedman said.
A few people who work at area businesses along East Main Street, near where the district attorney's office said detectives found evidence say they're not surprised by the arrest.