A highly volatile bottle of liquid methamphetamine was seized Friday from a “shake and bake” mobile meth lab in the second of two major drug busts in Wilmington over the last three days, Wilmington police said.
Benjamin Hoover, 27, and Mala Diloreto, 29, both of 213 N. Water St., Wilmington, were arrested Friday and charged with possession of methamphetamine, a Class X felony, after police pulled their vehicle over for a traffic violation in the alley behind their apartment, Wilmington Police Chief Phillip Arnold said.
Police found a 1-liter bottle of liquid methamphetamine that was bubbling, an indication it was in cooking process, Arnold said. Police determined it contained 570 grams of liquid methamphetamine.
Wilmington police requested the assistance of the Illinois State Police Methamphetamine Response Unit.
“That thing can act like an (rocket propelled grenade) if it goes off,” Arnold said of the substance.
Police evacuated the 213 N. Water St. building for more than five hours while a state police officer, wearing a protective hazardous material suit and respirator, stabilized the liquid by releasing some of the pressure, he said. Wilmington Fire Protection District were on the scene in case of explosion or fire.
Hoover told officials the final step to finish the cooking process was to add Drano, a chemical used to unclog plumbing pipes and septic tanks, Arnold said.
“We don’t think they were doing this to sell, we think it was just for personal use,” he said.
Hoover and Diloreto had just moved into the apartment, and were “basically flopping there,” he said.
The vehicle, which had Ohio license plates, was used as a mobile meth lab, known as a “shake and bake,” Arnold said. Hoover was driving on a suspended Pennsylvania driver’s license, he said.
Hoover was also charged with possession and transportation of methamphetamine precursor, also a Class X felony, and possession and transportation of methamphetamine manufacturing material, a Class 2 felony, Arnold said. Because he was driving a vehicle, he was also charged with unlawful use of property to possess methamphetamine, a Class 2 felony, he said.
Two days earlier, Wilmington police and the Drug Enforcement Administration seized 52 packets of heroin weighing 15.9 grams and with 5.8 grams of marijuana from a Wilmington home, Arnold said.
Larry Mikesch, 52, of 164 N. Harbor, Braidwood, and Jason Gregory, 40, of 30720 W. Frontage Road, Wilmington, were arrested and charged with posession of controlled substance with intent to deliver, a Class 1 felony, Arnold said.
Police obtained a search warrant to go into the house after receiving a tip from an informant, who purchased drugs from the pair, he said.
“By their own admission, they were one of the largest suppliers of heroin to our area,” Arnold said.
“After their arrest, the two admitted to selling more than 400 hits of heroin per week,” a Wilmington police press release said. “They told agents that they travel to Chicago every two to three days to pick up another supply of heroin that they then sell for a profit.”
Mikesch and Gregory are being held in the Will County jail in lieu of $250,000 bond. No bond information is available for Hoover and Diloreto, who are also being held in the Will County jail.
Erin Gallagher is a freelance writer for the Daily Southtown.
