Pubdate: Fri, 26 Jan 2001
Source: Arkansas Times (AR)
Copyright: 2001 Arkansas Times Limited Partnership
Contact:  Post Office Box 34010, Little Rock, AR 72203
Fax: (501) 375-3623
Website: http://www.arktimes.com/
Author: Sarah Fisher - Staff Writer

FAYETTEVILLE PD, DRUG TASK FORCE STATS INDICATE METH STRONGHOLD

Statistics from the 4th Judicial District Drug Task Force indicate 
the significant impact methamphetamine is having on Northwest 
Arkansas. An undercover officer and supervisor from the Task Force 
estimates before the fiscal year is through at the end of March, the 
detectives will have opened between 430 and 440 drug cases.

In fiscal year 1999, 358 cases were opened, the supervisor said. Many 
of the cases involved methamphetamine. According to the detective's 
prediction, officers will arrest more and more people on charges of 
possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to manufacture 
methamphetamine. He said the Washington County Prosecutor's Office 
developed the charge, which is a Class B felony and has a more 
serious outcome than the charge of conspiracy to manufacture a 
controlled substance. "The reason they wanted that offense as opposed 
to the conspiracy charge is because anyone arrested has to serve 70 
percent of their sentence," the detective said.

Statistics concerning meth labs discovered by the task force indicate 
that prediction may be coming true.

In 1997, detectives from the 4th Judicial District Drug Task Force 
discovered two labs, in 1998 that number rose to six, in 1999 it more 
than quadrupled and 50 such incidents are expected by the end of 
March. "We're on pace for about 50 by the time our year ends March 
31," the task force supervisor said. "I wouldn't be surprised at all 
if we reach that." A twist in the statistics also indicates the 
stronghold of meth in Northwest Arkansas, detectives say. The number 
of cases opened by the task force's detectives actually dropped from 
405 in 1998 to 358 in 1999. The 4th Judicial District Task Force 
supervisor said the drop in case load was caused by detectives 
concentrating on methamphetamine-related cases. "For the average meth 
lab it takes about 10-14 hours to dispose of properly," he said. "So 
a lot of man hours go into meth lab cases, and because of that you 
can't concentrate enforcement efforts on the other cases we have to 
work."
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