Pair arrested for manufacturing, trafficking

Local law enforcement agencies shut down a meth-making operation in the Red Level and River Falls area Thursday afternoon.

Officers with the River Falls and Red Level Police departments, along with agents from the 22nd Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force and the Covington County Incident Response Team and Alabama Law Enforcement Agency officers executed a search warrant at the home of Ricky Ward and Ramona Ryals on Oglesby Road.

“During a search, agents located two shake and bake methamphetamine labs, seven containers of methamphetamine oil for a total of around 140 ounces,” DTF agent and River Falls Police Chief Greg Jackson said. “Agents also located numerous glass tube smoking devices, acid, Drano, lithium batteries and ammonium nitrate. All items are used in the manufacturing process of methamphetamine.”

Both Ward and Ryals were arrested and charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, trafficking methamphetamine, and felony possession of drug paraphernalia.

They are being held in the Covington County Jail on a $550,000 bond.

Jackson said agents have been working on this case for several months.

“We continue to receive information of methamphetamine labs in the Covington County area and will continue to fight these labs and attempt to make our community safer,” he said.

To report a methamphetamine lab or any other drug activity, call the DTF at 222-3532.