Meth Labs On The Rise

Meth labs are making a resurgence in Green Country. Officers say the number of meth labs drastically decreased after Oklahoma passed a law in 2004 that put pseudoephedrine products behind pharmacy counters and required customers to show identification to purchase them.

News On 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright reports drug agents say part of the reason for meth lab returns is smurfing. That's where meth makers send out dozens of people to pharmacy after pharmacy to buy as much pseudoephedrine as allowed by law, at each place.

It's called smurfing because the people look alike and act alike, like in the old cartoon. Creek County busted a lab Tuesday night, because of smurfing.

Creek County deputies and Sapulpa police arrested five people after deputies watched some of them take turns buying pseudoephedrine products twice in one day, so the pills could be used to make meth.

Deputies followed them to a lab inside a house near an elementary school. They say the chemicals were kept in the children's room, next to a child's bed and baby crib.

The bust came on the heels of the Tulsa County Drug Task Force finding a meth lab Tuesday. They also see lots of ephedrine shopping sprees.

"We've stopped vehicles with bags of ephedrine in there from Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Med-X, May's, whatever it may be," said Tulsa County Sheriff Cpl. Shane Rhames.

As with most laws, criminals eventually find a way around them. In addition to sending people out to pharmacy shops, officers say they sometimes see people cross into states where the sale of pseudoephedrine is not yet restricted. Plus, meth cooks have found substitute ingredients, like anhydrous ammonia.

No matter how they make it, the chemicals are deadly and dangerous.

"These things soak in the walls, into the drywall of these residences. There's no getting rid of it unless you cut out the wall and get rid of it and then you have to worry if it's soaked into the wood," said Cpl Rhames.

Meth is a problem for lots of reasons, it's easy to make, with recipes on the internet, it can be made anywhere, all the ingredients are legal, it's got a high margin of profit and it's highly addictive.

"It's probably the most addictive drug. I've seen, friends of mine get hooked on this drug, give up everything, families torn apart. People who are contributing to society, try this, a good job, everything going for them, they try it one time and are hooked," said Cpl Rhames.

Oklahoma does have a statewide database to track who's buying a lot of pseudoephedrine, but there's a problem. The law only requires people to show an ID and that can be a driver's license or passport or other form of ID and many of these criminals have half-dozen different kinds of ID, so their pattern doesn't show up.

Related Story:

07/09/2008 - Meth Lab Found By Child's Bed