Pubdate: Fri, 05 Apr 2002
Source: Elizabethton Star (TN)
Copyright: 2002 Elizabethton Newspapers, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.starhq.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1478
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?158 (Club Drugs)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?186 (Oxycontin)

TENNESSEE WAGES WAR ON DRUG TRAFFICKING

A report released earlier this week showed that over $22 million of illegal 
drugs were seized last year by Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) drug 
agents or officers from other agencies cooperating with them. The report 
detailed the work of the TBI's Drug Investigation Division and outlined the 
agency's goals for the work of the coming year as the state continues its 
war on illegal drug trafficking. The report said the TBI has placed 
emphasis on enforcement of higher levels of organization within the drug 
trafficking world.

The Bureau is also concentrating on seizures of so called "club drugs" like 
Ecstasy, illegal use of the prescription painkiller OxyContin, and on 
shutting down the growing number of methamphetamine labs. Seizures of club 
drugs have grown over the last calendar year, particularly MDMA, which is 
more often referred to as the rave drug Ecstasy. The TBI seized 28,310 
doses of MDMA last year. MDMA has deadly side effects, including raising 
the abuser's body temperature as high as 107 degrees and can cause 
permanent neurological damage, coma or death. The war on methamphetamine 
has accelerated over the past few years, as Tennessee is becoming the 
distribution center for this dangerous drug which has also been called "the 
poor man's cocaine." According to the TBI officials, this is partially due 
to the state's prime location as a crossroads to the nation's highways, a 
factor which makes Tennessee a highly sought after distribution center for 
many goods. The TBI said one of the more disturbing trends is the crossover 
of this highly addictive drug from the "club drugs" abused by younger drug 
users.

The TBI report defines the use of meth as a serious problem in Tennessee. 
It has seized 23 meth labs in 1997, 66 in 1998, 85 in 2000 and 95 in 2001. 
Additionally, local law enforcement agencies working with the federal Drug 
Enforcement Agency (DEA) has reported seizures in the state from 42 labs in 
1998 to a staggering 650 labs as of September 2001. The TBI will also focus 
on the initiation of intelligence gathering and enforcement efforts to 
evaluate the threat posed by the illegal diversion of OxyContin. It is 
becoming a major problem as law enforcement officers report that heroin 
abusers are obtaining it because the pharmaceutical drug offers similar 
properties. It is an opiate that acts like morphine.

The most widely used diversion technique at the street level is "doctor" 
shopping.

Legislation is presently pending in the General Assembly to gather 
information on the state of this drug. The Drug Unit also seized over 
59,000 grams of powder cocaine, 4,014 grams of crack cocaine, 3,203 pounds 
of marijuana, and 4,976 doses of illegally used prescription drugs. Law 
enforcement and corrections officials have testified before the Committee 
that 85 percent of all violent crimes and property crimes can be traced 
back to the illegal drug use of trafficking. The TBI's Drug Investigation 
Division currently has 42 special agents.

The Division's goal is to eventually field at least 100 agents statewide.

However, the TBI has asked for nine additional agents in this year's budget.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager