Pubdate: Thu, 04 Aug 2005
Source: Oklahoman, The (OK)
Copyright: 2005 The Oklahoma Publishing Co.
Contact:  http://www.oklahoman.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/318
Author: Michael McNutt
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

MEXICAN METH ON RISE

As Oklahoma makes progress in cracking down on methamphetamine labs, 
Mexican-made versions of the drug are coming into the state in growing 
quantities, the head of Oklahoma's drug agency said Wednesday.

Drug agents are turning their attention to the Mexican drug cartels, which 
recently have added meth along with drugs such as cocaine, marijuana and 
heroin, said Lonnie Wright, director of the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics 
and Dangerous Drugs Control.

Agents think the cartel is shipping the drugs to about 20 "very major 
people that are bringing in tons of marijuana and multiple kilograms of 
cocaine" in Oklahoma, he said.

The drugs are being brought by trucks and freight from Mexico, mostly on 
Interstate 35. Methamphetamine coming from Mexico is a purer form, and is 
commonly called ice or crystal ice, Wright said.

"They're using Oklahoma not only to supply us, but as a base to ship to 
giant markets north and east of here," said Wright during a break at the 
annual training conference held by the Association of Oklahoma Narcotic 
Enforcers. The conference is being attended by about 400 drug officers from 
across Oklahoma and several other states at the Biltmore Hotel, 401 S Meridian.

"We don't have any Hispanic agents and officers to speak of," Wright said. 
"How do you interview informants, go undercover, all of those traditional 
kinds of things? So we've got to make some changes and it's going to take 
some time, but we're focusing on the problem."

Meth lab seizures have dropped by as much as 90 percent in some areas of 
Oklahoma during the past two years, Wright said. Drug agents seized nine 
meth labs in June, but only two were functioning, he said. Investigators in 
March 2004 seized 100 meth labs.

Tom Cunningham, task force coordinator for the Oklahoma District Attorneys 
Council, said 22 task forces are looking at the cartels.

The task forces are funded with $3.3 million in federal funds, Cunningham 
said. However, Congress is considering cutting that money. If so, state 
legislators would be asked to provide funds, he said.

Gov. Brad Henry, who thanked drug agents for their work in "difficult and 
crucial jobs," said he hopes the level of federal funding would remain the 
same, but would support appropriating state money if the need arises.

"It's extremely important that we continue those efforts at the state level 
and so it's very likely that I would support additional funding for our 
anti-drug efforts and our war on drugs in Oklahoma," Henry said. "Our law 
enforcement in Oklahoma has done a great job on the war on drugs, but it's 
a neverending war, and it does take resources."

Oklahoma has led the country in laws that make it difficult to get 
ingredients to make meth. About 30 states have passed or are working on 
laws similar to Oklahoma's, and Congress is considering similar legislation.

Oklahoma legislators this year passed a law that connects pharmacies 
statewide so pharmacists may check on computer whether a customer already 
has bought a maximum amount of pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient in the 
manufacture of meth. Legislators last year passed a law that restricts 
tablet sales of pseudoephedrine. It also mandates that specific types of 
decongestant medicines that contain psuedoephedrine be placed behind 
drugstore counters.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom