The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Screven County man Wednesday after finding a methamphetamine lab at his home near Newington.

Tracy Austin, 42, was charged with trafficking methamphetamine, manufacturing methamphetamine and possession of tools during the commission of a crime.

In a joint effort with the Screven County Sheriff’s Office, ECSO drug agents discovered the meth lab at Austin’s home on Runs Branch Road. Screven County Sheriff Mike Kile had requested the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office’s assistance regarding possible drug activity in the area.

“They don’t have a full-scale drug unit like we do,” said ECSO spokesmen Detective David Ehsanipoor. “Our drug unit offers its assistance to smaller agencies around us. We’re a larger agency and our drug suppression unit is highly-trained in methamphetamine cases.”

Austin has an “extensive criminal history,” Ehsanipoor said, including serving prison time for manufacturing methamphetamine.

“He has been in jail multiple times,” Ehsanipoor said.

Austin remained in the Screven County Jail as of press time.