WEB SITE A 'METH'OD TO WARN HOME OWNERS

If a methamphetamine lab has been busted in your neighborhood, federal
drug agents want you to know about it.

The Drug Enforcement Administration has launched an Internet database
(http://www.dea.gov) that allows anyone to point, click and find where
meth rings have been broken up. This after-the-fact information is
still crucial, officials said, so neighbors can be tipped off to
health risks and toxic fumes.

"Each lab produces toxic byproducts that contaminate the surrounding
area," said John Gilbride, DEA special agent in charge of the New York
office. DEA officials said they have no choice but to become
quasi-public health officials and real-estate agents in their battle
against the drug.

"This registry gives home owners a new tool to help them ensure that
their dream house is not a hidden nightmare," DEA Administrator Karen
Tandy said.