Maiden police arrested a Lincolnton man Thursday for possessing chemicals used for manufacturing methamphetamine.

Police searched the vehicle and residence of Daniel Clifford Mixon and found 3 packs of lithium batteries, 10 1-ounce bottles of iodine, a 32-ounce bottle of hydrogen peroxide, five cartons of matchbooks and 2 packages of Sudafed.

“Those are all precursors to the manufacture of methamphetamine,” said Maiden Police Chief Troy Church.

    Mixon, 49, was driving on West Maiden Road when Maiden Police officer M.E. Painter pulled him over for an insurance violation. Painter noticed Mixon was driving without proper identification on his car tags.

    After stopping Mixon, Painter saw chemicals in Mixon’s truck used for manufacturing methamphetamine.

    Mixon gave consent for Painter and Maiden police Capt. T.A. Ledford to search his car. The officers found more chemicals used for manufacturing methamphetamine. After searching Mixon’s truck, the officers searched his house, where they found more manufacturing materials.  

The combination and quantity of the chemicals found in the two searches lead police to arrest Mixon, Church said.

    “Taken individually, all of those products have legitimate uses,” he said. “But what would you do with 10 1-ounce bottles of iodine?”

    It is unknown whether anyone else was involved in the alleged manufacturing,

    Mixon is in Catawba County jail under a $5,000 secured bond. He is set to appear in court Monday.