GRANITE CITY: A MAGNET FOR METH?

When Granite City police stopped Timothy Harper on East 24th Street
Saturday, allegedly learned he was driving without a license and found
something suspicious in his car that led officers to search his home.

Lt. Jeff Connor of the Granite City Police Department would not say what
police found in the car after Harper was pulled over about 7:58 a.m.

But police said they did find chemicals made for the manufacture of
methamphetamine when they later searched Harper's residence in the 2100
block of East 24th Street. One of the chemicals was allegedly ephedrine.

Harper, 23, was charged Monday with felony unlawful possession of
methamphetamine manufacturing chemicals. Bail was set at $75,000.

He is in custody at Madison County Jail in Edwardsville. The charge is a
Class 2 felony with a prison sentence of three to seven years and a fine up
to $25,000 if convicted.

According to the Madison County State's Attorney's Office, Harper was
convicted of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and unlawful
possession of methamphetamine of less than 15 grams in 2002.

Michael Dixon, deputy director of the Metropolitan Enforcement Group of
Southwestern Illinois, said Tuesday that the production of methamphetamine
is on the rise in Madison County, and the area where the drug has become
the most prevalent is Granite City and its surrounding communities.

"There has been a dramatic increase in the manufacture of methamphetamine,
especially in the Granite City area," Dixon said. "Last year, there was a
30 percent to a 50 percent increase and that is very substantial."

Last year, MEGSI busted 70 meth houses in Madison County with the
assistance of local police departments. Dixon said he expects that number
to climb to about 100 this year. In January, about half of the 15 cases
investigated by the anti-drug task force were related to methamphetamine.

"In 1998, there was no meth activity in the (Madison County) area," Dixon
said. "That's how fast it has spread."

He said the drug is not only being manufactured in Granite City, Mitchell,
Madison and Pontoon Beach, but also in Alton, Highland Bethalto and other
communities throughout the region.

He said the drug is becoming more widespread because it is easy to make and
can be profitable. Instructions on how to make meth can be found on the
Internet.

"It's very profitable, but what we've found is that the people who
manufacture it become addicted to it to support their habits," Dixon said.

He said 28 grams of the drug can sell on the street for $150. When the drug
is diluted, however, the price increases dramatically and can sell from
$2,880 up to $5,000, even if it's only 19 percent pure.

He said the drug is five times more powerful than crack cocaine and is used
by "white males primarily of lower class having hard times making ends meet."

"It's not a drug used by African-Americans," Dixon said. "We haven't found
that to be the case at this time."

Dixon said methamphetamine houses are expensive for law enforcement
agancies to clean up. He said average cost is $500 to $1,500 and the money
comes from federal grants.