The purchase of illegal narcotics in Florala led to the discovery of multiple meth labs at a home on Montgomery Street Wednesday, according to Florala Police Chief Sonny Bedsole.

Bedsole said a confidential informant purchased illegal narcotics from two persons, including 32-year-old Kevin Lynn Byrd.

“The informant purchased them from Byrd and one other person,” Bedsole said, adding some names have been withheld because the investigation is ongoing. “It was our investigation yesterday afternoon that led us to the Byrd residence (on Montgomery Street).”

Bedsole said, upon arrival at the residence, officers smelled what they identified as they strong odor of chemicals typically associated with the “cooking” of methamphetamines.

“Once the officers were there, (Byrd) gave written consent for his residence to be searched,” Bedsole said.

Bedsole said FPD officers conducted the search in coordination with agents from the 22nd Judicial Drug Task Force.

“Our officers secured the scene and held it until DTF agents arrived,” he said. “I believe (two) different labs were located.”

DTF commander Mark Odom said it was one of the biggest one-pot methods in the county.

“The ‘one-pot’ method is attractive to meth cooks because it is both quick and easy,” he said. “It is also highly volatile. Byrd and Chase had two active cooks going at the same time. If one of them had exploded, it would have set the other off as well, and the entire neighborhood could have gone up in flames. Drug crimes are not victimless crimes, and they can and usually do hurt innocent bystanders. Luckily today, we arrested these two before someone else was hurt.”

Byrd, along with 39-year-old Kara Nicole Chase, was arrested, and each suspect was charged with two counts of distribution of a controlled substance. Byrd and Chase were booked into the Covington County Jail on bonds of $200,000 each.

Both suspects were also booked on separate charges of manufacturing I, trafficking and felony possession of drug paraphernalia by DTF agents and each held on a $550,000 bond.