METH LABS SPREADING IN MICHIGAN

LANSING -(AP)- Police already have discovered and dismantled more home
methamphetamine labs this year in Michigan than in all of 2000, but one law
enforcement officer said Wednesday the state hasn't seen the worst of the
problem.

"We're just in the beginning stages of busts," said Michigan State Police
Lt. Rick Aro, who leads the State Police's methamphetamine unit. "We're
trying to get a hold on it before the drug has a hold here."

The discovery of at least 60 drug labs by local and state authorities so far
this year exceeds the 40 discovered all of last year, State Police Inspector
Mike Bush said. That's still much lower than the 1,000 methamphetamine labs
that have been discovered in Missouri this year.

The methamphetamine phenomenon is sweeping Michigan from west to east after
starting out in California and Arizona, Aro said. Authorities in
mid-Michigan now are seeing the same increase in meth production that those
on the western side of the state first saw a few years ago.

Last week, State Police raided a meth lab in the tiny town of Pewamo on the
Ionia-Clinton county line for the second time. Police trying to locate the
home owner to arrest him for manufacturing the drug in June discovered the
lab operating again.

A meth lab was found in the rural Clinton County town of Eagle in July. In
June, Scott Lee Tupper, 41, was arrested for having enough chemicals in his
Grand Ledge home in Eaton County to make more than 10 pounds of the highly
addictive meth.

Eaton County Prosecutor Jeff Sauter said his office is investigating five
methamphetamine cases.

"I'd call it a noticeable increase," Sauter said. "At this time last year, I
don't think we had any."

The synthetic stimulant lasts much longer than cocaine and can be made in
clandestine laboratories with relatively inexpensive over-the-counter
ingredients, Bush said. The powdery white or brown drug can be smoked,
snorted, injected or eaten.

It causes increased activity, decreased appetite, and a general sense of
well-being. The effects of methamphetamine can last six to eight hours.
After the initial rush, there is typically a state of high agitation that in
some individuals can lead to violent or psychotic behavior.

Despite the increase of drug busts in mid-Michigan, the counties of Van
Buren, St. Joseph and Allegan continue to lead the state in the number of
methamphetamine labs discovered, Aro said. Raids on labs in Allegan County
account for one-third of the state's total busts, Bush said.

He's worried the spreading number of labs could overwhelm law enforcement
officials in some areas of the state. Besides the cost of detecting meth
labs and arresting those involved, meth labs can be expensive to clean up.

It cost an average of $5,000 last year to outfit each officer in a hazardous
material uniform so they could safely remove toxic chemicals from meth labs,
Bush said. Among the toxic chemicals used to make the drug are anhydrous
ammonia, starter fluid, lithium batteries and ephedrine.

Authorities are getting some help controlling the labs from a toll-free hot
line that allows callers to anonymously report meth production. A number of
the tips received so far resulted in raids, said Jim McBryde, who works on
drug policy for the Michigan Department of Community Health.

Meth producers also face a new state law that makes it a 10-year felony to
possess meth-making equipment or own or use a building or vehicle to
manufacture the drug. The penalty increases to 20 years if the drug is
manufactured near a school, church, business or residence.