Mega Meth Labs

WDIO Tv in Duluth Minnesota reports:

Duluth Police say 80% of the meth found on the streets is coming from a surprising source--mega labs in Mexico. Police say the era of the homegrown, 'Mom and Pop" meth labs is winding down, but that is not entirely because of the new laws that make it harder to get the ingredients to make meth. Sargent Scott Jenkins heads Duluth's Drug Task Force. He says the main reason homegrown meth labs are declining has to do with simple supply-demand economics. Jenkins said, "there is such a large amount of higher potency, higher quality methemphetamine coming from super mega labs coming in the westen parts of the United States and Mexico and it's just driving those other labs out of business." The meth from the mega-labs, known as crystal meth, ice, shards or glass. Chemists say it is 94-98% pure. That's opposed to 30-40% purity from 'Mom and Pop' meth labs. Jenkins says, "there's no competition--if you can get a better product at the same price you're obviously going to go for the better product and it give you a quicker, stronger high." The mega-labs also have connections to powerful drug cartels. Jenkins says, "they know how to secret it in vehicles they know how to get around law enforcement." And this poses challenges for Duluth Police. Jenkins says that is why the police are being proactive with their stings. For example last January's bust at the Motel 6 in West Duluth. Two Mexican men were arrested with $67,000 worth of crystal meth and $5,000 cash. It was a historic bust for Duluth Police, but as these labs continue to crank out large quantities of crystal meth, we may be seeing more like it.