AREA SEEING RISE IN HOME METH LABS

CHAMPAIGN - A rise in the number of people in East Central Illinois who are
cooking their own methamphetamines poses problems for merchants and
residents, as well as police.

"Virtually all the ingredients are commercially available items with
legitimate uses," said Master Sgt. Bruce Liebe, clandestine lab program
coordinator for the Illinois State Police.

To cut down on shoplifting and to track down people with their own meth
labs, Champaign police are beginning to talk to merchants about what to
watch for that may indicate someone is involved in manufacturing
methamphetamines.

"We're asking district commanders to work with drug stores, discount stores
and other outlets," Champaign police Deputy Chief John Murphy said.

Patrol officers are talking to store managers about the kinds of items used
in the process of making methamphetamines and warning retailers to watch
for shoplifting and excessive purchases of such things as lithium
batteries, lantern fuel and pseudoephedrine, Murphy said.

Some merchants are being asked to put pseudoephedrine products behind their
counters so they are not accessible for shoplifting, Murphy said. Some are
being asked to consider discontinuing some products that are not typical
cold tablets.

"We'd like them to voluntarily consider what the value of these kinds of
products really is," Murphy said. "Does whatever profit they get offset the
potential for abuse by people buying those products?"

Central Illinois has seen the spread of meth labs, particularly in Coles
County.

Home meth labs began appearing in California in the late 1980s and started
popping up in western Illinois in 1997, according to Liebe, the state
police meth expert.

Statewide, the number of meth lab seizures rose from 24 in 1997 to 207 in
1999 and 350 in 2000. Coles County had 130 meth lab seizures last year,
according to Illinois State Police data. Police say meth labs and the
acquisition of essential components for making the drug are spreading to
other areas of Central Illinois.

Liebe has been investigating meth labs since October that year and was
assigned for three years to a task force with the U.S. Drug Enforcement
Administration. He now coordinates meth lab training for the state police.
He has investigated more than 300 meth labs in that time.

""It's hard to predict when and how it will hit. Meth is extremely
addictive. When they become addicted, they figure out how to produce it
themselves," Liebe said.

Information about meth production is available on the Internet, in
underground publications and by word of mouth, Liebe said.

"It's not difficult," he said. "It's estimated one cook will teach 10
others how to produce methamphetamine."

Unlike cocaine, heroin and marijuana, which are often controlled by street
gangs, much of the current methamphetamine lab production and distribution
is by meth addicts among a circle of friends.

Users range in age from their 20s through their 40s, but state police in
one case arrested two 15-year-old girls who were "pretty active" in making
the drug, Liebe said.

Street prices on meth, also known as "ice" or "crystal," run $1,500 to
$1,700 per ounce, he said.

The materials cost $150 to $200 per ounce, Liebe said, so many try to cut
costs by stealing items. Many farmers have been hit by meth lab operators
stealing anhydrous ammonia. Most households have many of the other products
used to make the drug.

Sgt. Brian Henn, the Task Force X supervisor of Task Force 10, said drug
agents are teaching all the police departments in the area about safety
issues related to meth labs. Many of the meth lab wastes are toxic or
hazardous, he said.

Home meth labs pose potential problems for increased shoplifting, increased
violence due to the effects of heavy drug usage and increased hazards from
the production and waste resulting from making the drug, Henn said.

In a series of training sessions last week, Henn told Champaign police
officers that after coming down off a meth high, methamphetamine addicts
will buy and shoplift items like pseudephedrine. Their cars, homes or even
their trash may contain hazardous chemicals like ether or anhydrous
ammonia. All are used in the manufacture of the drug.

Police making a traffic stop or going to a domestic disturbance call,
merchants selling large amounts of cold tablets or neighbors who live next
to a meth lab may have no idea whom they are dealing with, Henn said.

Drug agents and local police department officials met last month to talk
about other meth-related issues, including merchant awareness. Most
merchants are happy to cooperate, once they understand the potential
problems, he said.

"It's like they turn on a light - 'So, that's why they come in so often!' "
Henn said.

Investigators have not yet seen any indications of widespread meth labs in
Champaign County, but they have seen people from Coles, Edgar and Douglas
counties and other areas coming to Champaign-Urbana stores to buy or steal
the materials they need. That's what merchants are being taught about, Henn
said.

"They may come in three or four to a car, they mill about and walk up and
down the aisles, picking up odd items," Henn said. "If they see someone go
to the checkout with a lot of cold tablets and (lantern) fuel, it doesn't
make sense they would go camping if they have a cold. If they buy starter
fluid, drain cleaner, kitchen table salt and they don't buy any groceries,
that's a red flag."

Sharon Weber, corporate spokeswoman for Wal-Mart, said the chain's
employees usually become aware on their own about the problems associated
with meth labs and the products used to make the drug.

Since 1997, Wal-Mart has restricted sales of certain over-the-counter
cough, cold and diet pills to three or six items, depending on the size of
the package, Weber said. Some stores limit sales to two items on some products.

"By company policy, certain items are limited in the register computer,"
said Charles Threatt, store manager at the Champaign Wal- Mart, 913
Marketview Drive, C. "The register will not allow you to sell more than the
limit."

Threatt said security staff and other employees will call police if they
see anything suspicious.

For example, he said, "If we see a group of people with a rush on a certain
product, we call police and let them take it from there."

That has happened several times in recent months, and the arrests of a
Ludlow couple in July and two Kentucky men in June - all for unlawful
possession of pseudoephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamines -
are probably a sign of things to come, according to police.

In both cases, the arrests stemmed from shoplifting or excessive purchases
of pseudoephedrine, according to police reports.

Master Sgt. Dave McLearin, supervisor for the East Central Illinois Task
Force, said drug investigators in Coles, Moultrie and Shelby counties have
been working closely with many merchants. In addition to limiting purchases
on some items, some stores have security cameras trained right on certain
products.

Merchants should go beyond limiting purchases of some items to two or three
boxes, he said. Meth producers will often go to a store with several people
each buying two boxes of pseudoephedrine, McLearin said.

Under "Operation Crystal Clear," the East Central Illinois Task Force
contacted stores about what to watch for.

"We did our first lab in March of 1999," McLearin said. "We went from
hearing about meth labs to investigating them 24 hours a day."

The task force had 276 drug arrests last year, and 70 percent were
meth-related, he said.

"They started popping up, and we educated ourselves what to look for. We've
decided to educate the public on what to look for. We're having some good
results."

Police have given presentations to businesses, associations, civic groups,
utilities, other police organizations and fire departments.

"We've had garbage haulers tell us what's going on someplace," McLearin
said. "We've had contact with mail carriers. Mainly where we get most of
our tips is from neighbors complaining about the smells."

Because of the chemical process used to make meth - including anhydrous
ammonia and ether - there are distinct, irritating smells involved, he said.

Based on the experiences in Coles County, McLearin predicted other
communities will start to see an increase in meth labs soon.

"Most of these people have a small group of their friends, and they are
cooking small amounts, and they're using it," McLearin said. "Most of them
end up quitting their jobs. They live for meth."

What to watch for

Many people may be unaware that they are living next to a methamphetamine
lab. Employees of discount, grocery, hardware and convenience stores may be
unaware that people are buying or shoplifting items to manufacture the drug.

According to Illinois State Police, store employees should watch for people
buying unusual or excessive amounts of:

- - Lithium batteries;

- - Cold tablets or other products containing pseudoephedrine;

- - Coffee filters;

- - Drain cleaner or lye;

- - Starter fluid.

Employees and business owners should contact police for further
investigation of people, often in groups, who go into a store, sometimes in
more than one trip, buying more than one of those items at the same time,
according to Master Sgt. Dave McLearin, supervisor of the East Central
Illinois Task Force.

Residents should also be aware of unusual odors, like those of ether,
ammonia or other chemicals in their neighborhood.

Other things to watch for:

- - People staying up, coming and going all night long;

- - Excessive trash, including antifreeze, lantern fuel cans, drainer cleaner
or starter fluid;

- - Unusual amounts of clear glass containers being brought into a home.

Methamphetamine can be manufactured almost anywhere with the necessary
chemicals and equipment. These include:

- - Ephedrine or pseudoephedrine;

- - Salt;

- - Lye;

- - Lithium batteries;

- - Ether (found in starter fluid);

- - Anhydrous ammonia;

- - Glass jars or glass containers;

- - Plastic tubing;

- - Coffee filters;

- - Duct tape;

- - A hot plate, microwave or other equipment to heat the chemicals.