STORE OWNERS ARRESTED ON METH-SUPPLY CHARGES

SPOKANE (AP) -- The owners of nine Spokane-area convenience stores and two
wholesale supply companies have been arrested, accused of selling enough of
a key ingredient to make 300 pounds of methamphetamine.

Federal, state and local law enforcement officers participated in the drug
task force operation Tuesday. More arrests were expected, the Drug
Enforcement Administration said Wednesday. Officers had warrants to search
24 buildings and arrest 15 people.

Authorities said they noticed large quantities of pseudoephedrine cold
pills being distributed to independently owned convenience stores
throughout the metropolitan area.

A federal law bans any sale of pseudoephedrine for the purpose of making
methamphetamine. Pseudoephedrine, the active ingredient in many cold pills,
is an important ingredient in meth.

Under state law, stores may only sell three packages of pseudoephedrine
products to a customer per day. Undercover officers were able to purchase
cases of the drug containing 144 packages each, the DEA said.

All the stores that were searched with federal warrants were operated by
owners who appear to be recent immigrants.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Cynthia Imbrogno planned to bring a Punjabi
interpreter to Spokane for arraignments scheduled Friday in U.S. District
Court.

U.S. Attorney James McDevitt said he didn't know why the investigation
netted only immigrant-operated stores, except that store owners all were
supplied by the same distributors.