Fifteen people have been arrested on drug charges, and at least 12 methamphetamine labs have been shut down by narcotics officers from the Chilton County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Operations Division over the last two weeks.

Those taken into custody were:

Ronald Larry Wyatt was charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of precursor chemicals, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Randall Eugene Green was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Lisa Ward Connell was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Goodlowe Green Jr. was charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, trafficking methamphetamine, possession of precursor chemicals and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Justin Everett Kyles was charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of precursor chemicals, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

James Lawson Whitman Jr. was charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of precursor chemicals, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Crystal Marlene Kyles was charged with manufacturing methamphetamine, possession of precursor chemicals, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Billy Joe Fowler was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Parish Nicole Davis was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Erica Grace Brasher was arrested for distribution of a controlled substance.

Ryan Heith Harris was arrested for distribution of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Joel Wade Salter was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

Gus Ralph Eubanks Jr. was charged with manufacturing methamphetamine and possession of precursor chemicals.

Daniel Gregory Champagne was arrested for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

James Darryl Haynes was charged with possession of a controlled substance.

Sheriff Kevin Davis said narcotics agents Charlie Sanders and Errick Smitherman were instrumental in making the arrests of the suspects and the shutting down of the meth labs. The arrests covered the entire county.

Sheriff’s narcotics agent Champ Benson said officers have seen an increase in the number of meth labs over the last few weeks and months. In fact, seven meth labs were discovered on a two-mile stretch of County Road 13, which is also known as Yellowleaf Road, while Chilton County inmates were picking up trash on the road about two weeks ago.

“It hasn’t gone down with the recession, but it’s actually gone up,” Benson said. “That’s probably because it’s much easier to have one. You can actually have a meth lab in a 20-ounce soda bottle.”

Sheriff Davis asks that anyone who feels they may have stumbled across a lab to notify the Sheriff’s Office immediately.