Report: Meth Labs Dropping Under North Carolina Law


Updated: June 5th, 2006 05:46 PM EDT


Story by wsoctv.com

Meth labs in North Carolina are continuing to drop under a new law that makes it more difficult for criminals to get the drug's main ingredient, Attorney General Roy Cooper said today.

State Bureau of Investigation agents responded to 11 labs producing the synthetic drug methamphetamine in May of 2006. That's the fewest number of meth labs discovered in the state in any one month since December of 2003, and a 69 percent drop compared to the 35 labs discovered in May of 2005.

"We fought hard for this law and it's paying off," Cooper said. "Cutting criminals' access to the key ingredient they need to make meth is helping to drive these dangerous drug labs out of our communities."

Since the new law took effect on January 15, 2006, the SBI has seen a 35 percent overall drop in meth labs compared to the same time period in 2005. In 2005, SBI agents busted 172 labs between January 15 and May 31. In 2006, agents busted 112 labs between January 15 and May 31. Specially trained SBI agents respond to meth labs discovered in North Carolina.

As of January 15, North Carolina law requires that all single and multi-source tablets, caplets or pills containing pseudoephedrine and ephedrine be sold behind a pharmacy counter. Purchasers must be at least 18 years old and show a photo ID and sign a log to buy these products. The law also limits purchases of these products to no more than two packages per transaction and no more than three packages within 30 days without a prescription.

While a federal law designed to curb meth labs will help make psedeoephedrine less available to meth cooks who buy their ingredients in other states, North Carolina's stronger law will remain in effect here.

Cooper led the push during the 2005 legislative session for a state law to reduce meth labs in North Carolina by cutting criminals' access to the drug's key ingredient. He continues to urge local law enforcement to verify that retailers in their communities are abiding by the law.

"Clamping down on meth labs in North Carolina means busting labs and making sure that stores are following the law," said Cooper. "The more we're able to stop criminals from making meth here, the more we'll be able to go after criminals who are trafficking meth, cocaine and other drugs into our state."

Cooper is currently asking legislators for an additional three SBI agents to fight trafficking of illegal drugs, particularly methamphetamine, and six new experts to analyze drug evidence submitted to the SBI Crime Lab by local law enforcement.

it might be working but i still think they are a pain in the fucking ass escpecially when the freakin pharmcist does not speak english

Moved to Mexico.

Quoted: it might be working but i still think they are a pain in the fucking ass escpecially when the freakin pharmcist does not speak english

and makes six figures..  

Nowadays, it's easier to buy meth and turn it back into Sudafed.

Are they making up the difference in imports? Are there actually less people using meth?

I thought it was mostly coming from Mexico now anyway.......

They have nothing but time to figure a better way around it.

We hardly ever busted labs using OTC pills it was all bulk powder form
You would get your retards trying but they were just making poison pfed

And yet, meth production is still at an extreme high!

Weeeeeird...

Quoted: Are they making up the difference in imports? Are there actually less people using meth?

If less people are using meth its only because Heroin is making a come back. drug use often works that way. Stims will be the popular thing for a few years then opiates will make a come back then back to Stims.

About 3 years ago i would make 10 meth arrests for every heroin arrest. Now its more heroin than meth. It doesnt have anything to do with enforcement. Its a fad thing no different than clothing styles fads.

Quoted: Nowadays, it's easier to buy meth and turn it back into Sudafed.

Quoted: I thought it was mostly coming from Mexico now anyway.......

It is.  My BIL is a long time cop in one of the worst meth states (MO).  He's seeing almost 100% of their big meth busts coming in from Mexico now.  Still just as many users, just cooking it in a different location.  Even American meth cookers can have their jobs outsourced.  

I sell a med with 120mg and 240mg of pseudoephedrine

Quoted: it might be working but i still think they are a pain

+ freaking one.

Go back to it taking 2 minutes to get my Advil Cold and Sinus at Walgreens instead of 15 cause I have to sign my life away, enter my name into the state database, etc.

Damn ; They're just now doing that in NC?

Tennessee has been that way for several years now.(Not sure whether it's state law there or just some localities though)

However , for some reason , TN still has some of the biggest labs in the south , and meth can be had just as easily as pot.

(spelling edit)

Its not working, if you actually think its working stop kidding yourself. Its so easily obtainable actually my uncle told me about a sting operation they just did that shut down a little terrorist mart. They were ordering 40 cases at a time of this stuff for different people.

Doesn't seem to have impacted (meth) use around here, but my wife and I have to jump through hoops just to dry up sinus congestion.




Pseudoephedrine should be available by the scoop full in 55 gallon drums right next to palettes of lighter fluid and lithium batteries.

I bought some today.   Sudafed, not meth.

Felt like a criminal.  Go to pharmacy, show driver license, sign logbook.  I'm sure this really helps deter crime.  It's great, all the bullshit a law abiding citizen has to go through because of lowlife losers.

It's not working here in Oregon, just giving the docs more money, and taking it out of the pockets of people like me, when people have to go see a doctor just to get the same allergy meds they always used before without a problem.

Currently, the cheapest way to make meth is to get the precursors by the ship load from China or even India.  China and India are the cheapest places to manufacture precursers right now.

Your silly little laws, have reduced the number of labs, because it is easy for idiots to make meth from sudafed.

The article is ridiculous because it does not mention a reduction in users or volume of meth supply.

The remaining labs have gotten bigger.

There will never be a shortage of meth as long as there is a demand for it.

The precursers were sythesized from weeds that grow abundantly in China and also here in America.  Since the precursers were sythesized in 1885, and the Chinese used the herbs from which the precursers were synthesized for thousands of years, and American Indians also medicinally used the herbs from which precursers may be synthesized, there will never be a shortage of meth.

Precurser plants were used to make "Mormon Tea".

The law was not intended to impact meth use. It was intended to impact home meth labs.  (You know, the ones that would turn your block into a superfund site.)

It's worked amazingly well.  We have not had to spend the tax $$ to clean up a a home meth lab in over a year.  I could care less that it's turned Mexico into a toxic waste dump.  

Red Devil Lye is another recent victim of the War on Drugs.

worked in busting these asswipes.  Click on link for pics of the tweakers

Teacher Arrested in Johnston County Cold Medicine Bust
www.wral.com/news/local/story/1885713/
Amy Snead

Posted: Oct. 2, 2007
Updated: Oct. 3, 2007

Smithfield, NC — A Johnston County teacher has been suspended from her post following her arrest Tuesday in a countywide operation against methamphetamine production.

Amy Snead, 36, of Four Oaks, a second-grade teacher at Polenta Elementary School, which has a Garner address, was charged with possession of an immediate precursor chemical and exceeding the pseudoephedrine limit.

She was released from jail late Tuesday afternoon under a $20,000 secured bond, Johnston County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Tammy Amaon said.

Johnston County schools spokeswoman Crystal Roberts said Snead's suspension is with pay and is pending the outcome of the sheriff's investigation.

Snead was one of five people arrested Tuesday in Operation Pill Crusher, which the Johnston County Sheriff's Office and the State Bureau of Investigation started in July. Investigators searched the logs of 24 pharmacies to target individuals making multiple purchases of pseudoephedrine pills, the main ingredient in crystal methamphetamine.

Those individuals, referred to as "smurfs" in the drug trade, shop pharmacies for pills in exchange for finished meth products for their personal use, the sheriff's office said.

Others arrested on the same charges as Snead were Richard Glenn Turnage, 46, of Benson, who was in jail under a $100,000 secured bond; Stewart Lavon McLeod, 23, of Dunn, $200,000 bond; Christopher Charles Lawhorn, 32, of Benson, $125,000 bond; and Kenneth Scott West, 39, of Benson, $100,000 bond.

Benson police arrested West last month in connection with a mobile meth lab bust, and he was in jail up until a few weeks ago on charges that included possession of methamphetamine and manufacturing methamphetamines.

By the time the operation is complete, as many as 50 people will have been arrested, authorities said.

"The only thing I've got to say is, if you're cooking, we're looking," Johnston County Sheriff Steve Bizzell said. "We're not going to sit idle and let the drug dealers – the scumbags and thugs – ruin our community and our families."

A state law went into effect Jan. 15, 2006, that requires all single- and multi-source tablets containing pseudoephedrine and ephedrine, ingredients found in certain cold medications, be sold behind a pharmacy counter.

Purchasers must be at least 18 years old, show photo ID and sign a log to buy these products.

The law limits purchases of these products to no more than 3.6 grams (about two packages) within a 24-hour period and no more than 9 grams (about three packages) within 30 days without a prescription.

"These folks who are using this to make meth have realized there's no central database to keep track of this," said Alan Carroll, who owns Carroll Pharmacy in Smithfield. "(They say,) 'We can stop at Carroll Pharmacy, and then we can go across town to the CVS and Walgreen's and pick it up all over town and get around (the law) that way.'"

So far, however, a central database shared by all pharmacies has been too expensive to undertake.