BLOOMINGTON — A couple is in police custody in McLean County and the woman’s child is in state custody after a routine traffic stop turned up high-quality crystal methamphetamine in their car.
McLean County Deputy Bryan Hanner stopped the car for speeding on 3850 East Road near Saybrook east of the Twin Cities.
The driver, 35-year-old Shawn Castleman of Atlanta, Ga., was given three traffic citations and is expected to face drug charges Friday in Circuit Court.
His passenger, a 28-year-old woman from LaGrange, Ind., also was arrested and is expected to face drug charges. The Pantagraph does not name individuals in most cases until formal criminal charges are filed.
The woman’s 3-year-old daughter, who was in the car when it was pulled over, was taken into custody by the Department of Children and Family Services.
The quantity and quality of the drug are a first for the county, Sheriff Jon Sandage said on Thursday, adding the meth is worth about $30,000 on the street.
Crystal meth is a highly addictive street drug that can be snorted, smoked or injected with a 
needle. Abuse can lead to serious health conditions, including memory loss, aggression, psychotic behavior and potential heart and brain damage, according to the Foundation for Drug-Free World.
“This amount going to one destination was surprising to me. It tells me there is a market for it out there. These drugs were on route to Saybrook for distribution in eastern McLean County,” said Sandage.
Detective Tim Tyler, one of the officers involved in the investigation, said, “I’ve never seen that much meth in one spot in my life.”
The largest portion of the drug known as “ice” because it resembles crushed ice, was in a single-serve plastic milk jug found inside the car. Also located were several smaller packets, presumably ready to sell, said authorities.
The crystal meth is more potent than its counterpart that is commonly manufactured using cold pills and farm chemicals, said Tyler, adding the drug came from a source outside the U.S.
“This came straight from Mexico. It was in Atlanta (Ga.) this time yesterday,” said Tyler.
Sandage said more arrests could be made in connection with the investigation.
The arrests also were the first drug bust for “Rico,” the second K-9 unit recently acquired by the sheriff’s department.
