Pubdate: Sun, 19 Oct 2003
Source: State Journal-Register (IL)
Copyright: 2003 The State Journal-Register
Contact:  http://www.sj-r.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/425
Author: John Reynolds

FARMERS FIND SIGNS OF METH LABS

Dumpsites Uncovered In Fields During Harvest Season

Area farmers harvesting their fields are turning up more than just 
near-record corn yields this year.

Deputy Terry Roderick of the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office said deputies 
ran into the same problem last year when farmers took to the fields to 
bring in their crops. In most instances, farmers are running across 
dumpsites used to dispose of items involved in the manufacture of the 
illegal drug as opposed to a full-blown active production lab.

Representatives of sheriff's departments in Morgan, Christian, and Logan 
counties say they are seeing the same trend.

Items found dumped in fields include empty packages of Sudafed, an 
over-the-counter medication used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, as 
well as plastic soda containers that are used to store chemicals.

Roderick did not have exact figures of how many such calls deputies have 
answered, but speculated that they have been getting a couple per week.

"A tell-tale sign for us is when you go through some of these fields that 
have been cultivated, and you see plastic grocery bags that are chopped up. 
Normally, that means somebody has been in there cooking (methamphetamine)," 
Roderick said.

Methamphetamine, commonly called meth, is manufactured using items that can 
easily be obtained at hardware stores and discount centers, and is a 
growing problem in Illinois. The problem is mainly centered in the rural 
areas of Illinois, outside of Chicago and the northeastern portion of the 
state.

Information from the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority 
indicates that law officers seized 435 methamphetamine labs in Illinois in 
2002, and 80 percent were in rural counties.

In 1998, methamphetamine accounted for about 12 percent of the drugs that 
were submitted to state crime labs from rural areas. By 2002, 
methamphetamine accounted for more than 43 percent of drug submissions to 
state labs under the Controlled Substance Act, which excludes marijuana, 
the information authority said.

Methamphetamine users face a battery of health hazards such as potentially 
fatal kidney and lung disorders, and the manufacturing process can produce 
explosions.

While the items found in local fields this harvest season have not caused 
serious problems, one item found in Sangamon County did have the potential 
to damage farm machinery. The item, a 5-gallon metal tank, was spotted by a 
farmer before he ran it over with his combine.

"I asked the farmer what would have happened if his combine would have hit 
(the steel container). He said it would have shut him down. When you have a 
stainless steel or aluminum tank going into your combine, it's going to 
cause some serious damage," Roderick said.

The metal tank in question originally was used as part of a soft drink 
dispenser but apparently was being used to store anhydrous ammonia, a farm 
fertilizer used in the production of methamphetamine.

Anhydrous ammonia has become a popular target of thieves looking for 
methamphetamine ingredients. Farmers are cautioned to secure their tanks 
with locks and to also keep the tanks in a well-lit area.

Sangamon County deputies handled similar calls last year during harvest 
season. For deputies in Christian County, this is a new trend.

"We've been dealing with (methamphetamine) for several years, but I don't 
remember having incidents during harvest season last year," Christian 
County Sheriff Bob Kindermann said.

Kindermann estimated that since harvest began, farmers have reported 
finding evidence of methamphetamine labs about three to five times.

Logan County Sheriff Steve Nichols said so far, the field sites discovered 
in his county have been dumpsites as opposed to active labs.

Nichols, Kindermann and Roderick all agreed that when farmers take to the 
fields next year, they would continue to find evidence of methamphetamine labs.

"The (methamphetamine) problem isn't going away anytime soon," Roderick said.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart