TANEY COUNTY METH LAB SEIZURES LOWER IN 2007

TANEY COUNTY -- Statistics for the incidence of methamphetamine
investigations in Taney County compare favorably to other counties
in Southwest Missouri.

Statistics for the state are less encouraging, with Missouri leading
the nation with 1,285 in clandestine meth lab incidents.

Missouri totals remained virtually the same as 2006 (1,284). The
first half of 2007 showed a continued downward trend, but the second
half of the year showed a rise in seizures.

"This trend demonstrates that smurfing (going from pharmacy to
pharmacy to purchase pseudoephedrine) is occurring as the
methamphetamine cooks become comfortable with the pseudoephedrine
law," reads the news release from Capt. Luke Vislay, director of the
Division of Drug and Crime Control report.

The DDCC was established in 1983, and operates throughout the state.
The field offices are located at each troop headquarters of the
Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Missouri shares the top five slot with Indiana, number two with 620
incidents; Tennessee, third with 559; Illinois, fourth with 360; and
Arkansas, fifth with 309 incidents of seizures.

Gov. Matt Blunt signed legislation Feb. 1, saving the Missouri
Sheriff's Methamphetamine Relief Teams (MoSMART) that were cut from
federal funding this year. The legislation provides more than $1.8
million in supplemental funding to help in the state's
fight against meth after Congress eliminated federal support.

"The manufacture and use of meth is a scourge on our state and
nation, and we must do everything in our power to fight this deadly
drug," Gov. Blunt said. "Working together with Missouri law
enforcement, we have saved the task forces with this state funding
to ensure we have the resources needed to protect Missouri families
from this terrible drug."

Taney County Sheriff Jimmie Russell serves on the board for Combined
Ozarks Multi-Jurisdictional Enforcement Team. The county's
prosecuting attorney, Jeff Merrell, working with the circuit court
through the Drug Court program continues to impact the incidence of
meth lab seizures as evidenced by a reduction from five in 2006 to one.

Gov. Blunt attributes the Missouri law passed in June of 2005,
limiting access to the materials used to make meth, with the
reduction of the negative impact of meth in Missouri. The law
restricts the sale of products containing pseudoephedrine or
ephedrine and relocates them behind pharmacy counters. Consumers are
also now required to show photo identification before purchasing
products containing the chemicals and are limited to how much of the
products they can purchase each month. Under the legislation,
pharmacies are required to maintain purchase logs and make them
available for inspection to law enforcement officers.