FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Fairhope police officers responding to a report from a concerned resident discovered a duffle late Wednesday afternoon that contained the components necessary for the manufacture of methamphetamine. The bright blue bag was found just beyond the tree line in a wooded area near the intersection of County Road 32 and Alabama Highway 181, south of Fairhope.

Officers determined the contents were those needed for manufacturing the illegal substance, and had in fact already been used for that purpose. This process is often referred to as the “backpack meth lab,” according to a press release issued Thursday by Fairhope Police Sgt. Craig Sawyer.

The supplies included a plastic bottle, over-the-counter cold medication and other readily available chemical ingredients. It is believed the items were left concealed in the woods for future use.

No arrests have been made so far, and officers are continuing their investigation in an attempt to identify those responsible.

The wooded area is just north of the property line of J. Larry Newton School. Police state there is no evidence to suggest that any students at the school were involved or were exposed to the chemicals, nor is it believed that the drug manufacturing process posed a threat to the school.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration was contacted, and a disposal crew removed the items.

If anyone has any information concerning this incident, they are asked to contact Sgt. Mike Crittenden or Officer John Morgan with the Fairhope Police Department’s Crime Suppression Unit at (251) 928-2385.