Father, son were operating meth lab across from Winthrop campus, official says

York County drug agents on Tuesday busted a meth lab allegedly operated by a father and son across from Winthrop University.

Martin Leonard Zalucha, 50, and Nicholas Martin Zalucha, 28, were arrested Tuesday and placed in the Moss Justice Center on charges of manufacturing methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine, according to jail records. Each remained jailed Wednesday under $25,000 bond.

Agents busted the meth lab, which was being operated in a house on the 1000 block of Park Avenue Extension, according to Marvin Brown, commander of the York County Multijurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Investigators had the home, which is converted into several apartments, under surveillance recently. Brown said there were multiple people at the home during the weekend.

Martin and Nicholas Zalucha had discarded three one-pot, or “shake and bake,” meth labs in the garbage bin outside the home, Brown said. They tried to neutralize some of the chemicals by dumping motor oil on the items.

The home, which is occupied by several tenants, is across Cherry Road from Winthrop University and located among several businesses. Hazmat crews responded to clean up the items and chemicals.

“That’s probably one of the worst places to have a meth lab,” Brown said. “You’ve got two restaurants, a third business, a school. It could have very easily exploded. The house could have burned down.”

This story was originally published October 12, 2016 at 9:49 AM with the headline "Father, son were operating meth lab across from Winthrop campus, official says."