A Taco Bell branch in Cedar Rapids, Iowa that was the site of an illegal methamphetamine manufacturing operation has been given the green light to reopen according to the Associated Press.
Linn County health officials have signed off on the location and say it is ready to start serving customers again. However, Taco Bell has given no formal date on when operations will resume. In a statement printed in The Gazette the company says:
"While the employee responsible for this incident was immediately terminated, the franchisee is currently retraining the staff, which will include a review of company values, resources and safety standards." the statement said. "Once we have completed all of these important steps, we look forward to re-opening the restaurant."
According to the newspaper:
Iowa CTS Cleaners, a Grimes-based business that specializes in cleaning homicide and meth lab crime scenes, spent two days scrubbing the restaurant's surfaces and ventilation, according to a report released by the health department.
The new test results show that levels of meth residue in the restaurant are now below recommended levels set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Earlier this month, law enforcement officials received a suspicious persons report that tipped them on to the restaurant. Upon investigating, they apprehended two suspects, one of whom was an employee of the establishment.
Christopher Adam Matous, a 31 year old man who has had one prior conviction dating back to April 2008 for making meth. He was charged with conspiracy to manufacture Methamphetamine and numerous chemical possession charges. Some of these substances include substance-methamphetamine, possession of sodium hydroxide and possession of petroleum distillates.
The second man was 56 year old Kent Jerome Duby. He was also charged with conspiracy to manufacture Meth.
