Pubdate: Thu, 28 Nov 2002
Source: Oregonian, The (Portland, OR)
Copyright: 2002 The Oregonian
Contact:  http://www.oregonlive.com/oregonian/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/324
Author: Ryan Frank

POLICE TEAM WILL FOCUS ON METH COOKERS

Washington County police agencies are beefing up an interagency drug team 
to chase, arrest and lock up the county's most prolific methamphetamine makers.

The Westside Interagency Narcotics team will assign four detectives to 
investigate meth cases only, starting Jan. 1. The team will be one of the 
state's few groups of detectives devoted to slowing the surging number of 
methamphetamine labs.

The decision comes months after the county's police chiefs started an 
18-member team to clean up the toxic labs that make meth.

"Methamphetamines are clearly the biggest criminal problem we have right 
now in the county," said Sheriff Rob Gordon.

Besides the dangers presented by the drug itself, methamphetamine drives 
its users to commit additional crimes, including fraud, identity theft and 
assault, police say.

Meth's popularity in Washington County has skyrocketed as users and dealers 
find easier, cheaper ways to make the stimulant, a toxic concoction that 
can include cold medicine, lithium from batteries and parts of road flares. 
Police have found labs in living rooms, hotel rooms and back seats of cars.

The county's drug detectives had busted 52 suspected labs through last 
week, compared with 58 in all of 2001. Five years ago, the drug team 
reported finding two labs.

Until now, the Westside Interagency Narcotics team has investigated dealers 
of all drugs, whether methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine or marijuana.

But the number of meth investigations grew overwhelming during the past 
five years, said Sgt. Rich Preim, a member of the Beaverton Police 
Department and the drug team's supervisor.

Detectives spent most of their time chasing down small labs -- those that 
produce a few ounces for use by a limited group. That left them little time 
for the in-depth investigations required to find and break up the larger 
labs that supply the big-time dealers.

Superlabs, often part of a sophisticated crime organization, yield 10 
pounds a batch. One ounce of finished meth sells for about $1,000 on the 
street.

"We know there are larger ones throughout the county that we are missing," 
Preim said. " . . . I thought we would have come up with more information 
on them."

Detectives know the labs exist because they have found dump sites of 
chemicals and garbage typical of a large lab. But the sites leave few clues 
that lead them to the meth makers.

By focusing on one problem, police hope the new four-person meth team will 
have the time to find and watch the labs and gather evidence to arrest the 
bad guys. Preim wouldn't say how they would catch the big drug-makers 
because he didn't want to tip them off.

"It'd be great if we put them in prison for a long time," Gordon said.

The team will include at least three sheriff's deputies and a half-time 
officer each from the Tigard and Beaverton police departments.

"Is it needed?" said Sgt. Craig Durbin, who manages the Oregon State 
Police's drug enforcement section. "Yes. In a big way. I applaud the agency 
for stepping up and saying, 'We have a problem.' "

The additions will give Washington County's drug team 10 detectives and one 
supervisor. Officials at the Hillsboro Police Department are discussing 
contributing an additional officer on the meth team.

Police and district attorneys say meth users often are tied to fraud and 
identity theft rings. To keep up with the criminals, Gordon also assigned 
three fraud detectives to work closely with the new meth team.

"I don't think they will go a single day without exchanging some pretty key 
information," the sheriff said.
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