An Ames man and woman were charged with manufacturing methamphetamines by using red phosphorus, a chemical police say is a rare choice for meth offenders in Iowa.

The Central Iowa Drug Task Force finished a yearlong investigation after executing a search warrant and arresting Joelle Ely, 27, and Chad Marty, 33, said Capt. Gary Foster of the Story County Sheriff’s Office.

Ely and Marty were arrested just before 4 p.m. Thursday at Ely’s home, 916 Duff Ave.

Investigators from the Task Force carried out several containers of chemicals from the white two-story home and put them into the bed of a pickup truck. Among the chemicals found was red phosphorus, more commonly known as “Red P.”

“We haven’t seen very many Red P in Story County,” Foster said.

In the state of Iowa, the most common chemical used to manufacture methamphetamines is anhydrous ammonia. “Red P” is more commonly found in the southern region of the country in states such as Texas and California and in Mexico, Foster said.

Red phosphorus is potentially explosive and very dangerous to handle, officials said.

Ames Police Sgt. Howard Snider said he couldn’t reveal the details of the investigation or why authorities chose to search the house. The Ames Police Department and the Story County Sheriff’s Office worked with the Central Iowa Drug Task Force on the case.

Foster said locating meth labs are easily hidden within residence areas.

“When everything is done inside the home, the odors are not [noticeable] outside,” he said.

Neighbors said they hadn’t seen suspicious activity. Jonathan Soike, 922 Duff Ave., who lives two houses down from the residence, said he didn’t really know his neighbors.

“We rarely know anyone on the block,” said Soike, senior in computer engineering.

Soike’s roommate, Tony Buss, senior in transportation and logistics, said there wasn’t much communication among the neighbors.

“They left us alone,” Buss said.

Thursday evening, Ely awaited arraignment at the Ames Police Department on a $139,750 bond. Marty was held at the Story County Jail.