Wagoner County Raids Drug Cooks

By Lori Fullbright, The News On 6

WAGONER, OK -- Wagoner County Sheriff's deputies, state troopers, and drug task force agents spent Monday raiding drug houses in Wagoner County.

The morning started off quietly, with a line of police cars heading down a dirt road in a remote part of Wagoner County.  Once they arrived at the target house, everything changed.

The house was clear.  No one was inside, so they next step was tackling the suspected drug lab.

Investigators tried to air out the place, so the chemical smell wasn't so strong.

Even at that, they put on specially made protective suits before entering because even the officers outside are coughing and getting headaches from the fumes.

They carted out chemicals that are then photographed and logged into evidence.  Deputies say they are quite familiar with this location.

"Today is the fifth and sixth search warrants on that property for meth labs," said Wagoner County Sheriff's Corporal Dustin Dorr.  "And, we find something every time."

One thing that always seems to go hand in hand with drugs is guns.  Deputies carried out armloads of weapons from the house, where they say they also found finished drug product and cash.

After finishing the warrant work at that house, it was on to another in Porter.

Deputies say they also found drugs and guns in the second house.  And, when officers arrived, one of the suspects was home.

Investigators say they've been involved with 10 meth labs since January 1^st.  They hope Monday's raid sends a message to other drug manufacturers.

"If you're cooking meth in Wagoner County, it's not if, but when we'll come kick your door in," said Wagoner County Sheriff's Corporal Dustin Dorr.

Deputies say Oklahoma's law that requires people buying pseudoephedrine at the pharmacy to sign for it, cut the number of meth labs at first.  But, now, they say meth cooks get several people to buy the two packages allowed and then combine them.