Steve Lieberman

slieberm@lohud.com

SUFFERN – Police arrested a 23-year-old man on Friday morning after raiding his Woodland Drive house where they said he had the ingredients to run a potentially explosive methamphetamine lab, along with marijuana, steroids, other drugs and $20,000 in cash.

A cadre of village officers and Rockland Drug Task Force investigators took Sammy Foda out of his 37 Woodland Drive home in handcuffs at 6:30 a.m. after a monthslong investigation into allegations he was selling drugs, Suffern Police Chief Clarke Osborn said.

Osborne and the Drug Task Force commanders called in the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the New York State Police hazardous materials team after finding ingredients for manufacturing methamphetamine. The police closed down Woodland Drive.

"We don't think we have anything dangerous," Osborn said. "We found the ingredients for making meth and directions. We don't know how much was made. We wanted to be safe."

Police said Foda had more than 14 ounces of marijuana, more than 15 grams of concentrated cannabis, the steroid trenbolone acetate and hash oil. He was charged with third-degree criminal possession of marijuana, fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, and third-degree unlawful manufacture of methamphetamine, felonies, and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a misdemeanor.

Police also charged Foda, a construction laborer who shares the house with his mother, with a felony count of criminal mischief for allegedly damaging several street lights on July 26 and possessing stolen road signs.

Foda, a Suffern High School graduate, was being held for arraignment in Suffern Village Court.

Osborn said the department had never dealt with a possible meth lab before.

"We just don't get that in this area," he said.