NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. — Visitors got a very Florida-man welcome on Thursday when the I-95 Welcome Center was shut down, the Nassau County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post.
The Florida Highway Patrol reported a "mobile meth lab" in a car in the parking lot of the welcome center. Troopers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle suspected of having an illegal window tint, according a news release. The vehicle was stopped on I-95 southbound near the center.
FHP says a 42-year-old woman driver and a 41-year-old male passenger were on the way to Apopka, Florida from Charleston, South Carolina. Both have been arrested and are being charged with trafficking, possession, and manufacturing/production of methamphetamine. They will also face charges of introducing felony contraband into Florida, and the driver will be cited for illegal window tint.
The release states that while measuring the tint, troopers noticed both individuals displayed numerous visual and behavioral indicators of the illegal use of narcotics. After given the permission to search the vehicle, police found liquid and crystal methamphetamine along with the materials used to make both.
The release further states that a hazmat team was requested and could be seen going through the contents in the trunk of a car by witnesses. The chemicals used to make methamphetamine are hazardous and flammable and pose various health risks to anyone inhaling or ingesting it.
NCSO evacuated the welcome center and diverted traffic for several hours Thursday.
Nassau County Fire Rescue was also on the scene assisting in investigating the vehicle.
The center has since been reopened.