Officers continue to battle meth trade

Sunday, July 27, 2003

The war on meth goes on. and with help from county residents, law enforcement officers are winning soem of the battles That's the word from Vernon County Sheriff Ron Peckman, whose deputies are frequently on the front lines of the campaign against the insidious drug. "Everybody in the county has been helpful. We've been able to work with businesses who are alerting us to who is buying the precursor products. People are calling in when they detect suspicious odors and activity. This really helps us in making our busts. I'm really proud of the people in the county," Peckman said. The bad news is that meth use is up across the nation. According to an article in the magazine, "Sheriff," by Michael S. McCampbell the Drug Early Warning Network says that methamphetamine-related episodes appearing at reporting hospital emergency rooms increased 29 percent between 1999 and 2000. According to U.S. Representative Ike Skelton recent reports show that one out of every six meth labs is located in Missouri. Because of the ease of manufacture -- typically it only takes between one and six hours to make a batch -- the ease of obtaining anhydrous in rural areas, and the relative scarcity of law enforcement resources, rural areas are increasingly popular with meth producers. During the 1980's there were only 37 meth labs busted in all of Missouri. During the first six months of this year Sheriff Peckman reports there have been nine operating meth labs seized, five dump sites found and decontaminated, one glassware seizure and 44 arrests for manufacture, attempting to manufacture or possession of meth. The investigations Peckman and the Vernon County Sheriff's Department instigated have helped many other departments. "With what we've been able to do we've helped Comet Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Agency, an agency in Ark., the Joplin Police Department, as well as sheriffs in Bates, Barton, Bourbon and Cedar counties." Meth labs are dangerous during the processing of the drug and far afterward. Labs can emit toxic fumes and poisonous gases and cause serious fires and explosions. The labs can also leave behind hazardous chemical by-products. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, meth labs were responsible for injuries to 79 emergency responders in 14 states between 1996 and 1999. Labs are dangerous, and the drug makers don't care if they leave behind dangerous toxic chemicals and used equipment that can harm others, so care must be used around any suspicious location. State officials at the Missouri Department of Natural Resources caution anyone who finds themselves near a possible lab site to is to immediately call a law enforcement agency to report it. Under no circumstances should anyone touch or handle anything found at the site because of the possibility of dangerous residue on anything found at such sites. If it is a meth lab, the law-enforcement agency can contact the DNR which has the technical expertise to handle the cleanup. In order to make it more difficult for thieves to get their hands on anhydrous, Peckman has some suggestions. "Take the hose off of anhydrous tanks and put up lights. It may be a pain to put the hoses on and then take them off again but it does help. Lights help because anyone doing this doesn't want to be seen. Report suspicious activity. All of these help reduce anhydrous theft."

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