"All this was covered up in rock..." Chief Deputy Steve Cochran said, pointing to a small cave in the Lancing Community.
Inside that cave -- a meth lab. The department said it was the largest bust the county has ever seen. All totaled, more than 85 gallons of meth making chemicals, batteries, burners, and other supplies.
"Vehicles, abandoned warehouses, but this is a first time we had it in a cave," Chief Cochran added.
"They're getting creative," said Sheriff Glen Freytag. "(Criminals) are going to places you'd never thought they'd be at. What better place than out the woods, away from everyone else?"
The department found six labs in the last two weeks, most of them in the woods. With more raids on traditional meth lab settings, houses and cars being two noteworthy examples, authorities said they're seeing a trend of criminals looking into different places to cook meth.
The woods, is becoming a hotbed for this activity.
"Rural counties have places where they could do this... and this bust should slow it down some," Sheriff Freytag added.
However, at least this week's slew of busts will chalk up to some wins for the Morgan County Sheriff's Department.
"It's an ongoing battle on both fronts," Chief Cochran said.
No arrests have been made in these cases, but the sheriff's department told 10News some of these labs are connected.
Source: WBIR