POLICE RAID ILLEGAL DRUG LABORATORY

Mobile Operations Churning Out Methamphetamine

Were the three cats in the downtown apartment just family pets, or were
they there for another less innocent reason?

City police who raided the apartment Thursday point out that cooking
methamphetamine -- making speed -- produces a distinctive feline urine odour.

"This particular apartment had three cats. I don't know if you'd notice it
in the hallway or find it peculiar there was a strong smell of cat urine
when a guy has three cats," said Sgt. Glen Hayden, with the city police
clandestine laboratory response team.

Hayden was called to Paulain Manor, 10609 115th St., to help investigate
and eventually dismantle a small speed lab in a basement suite.

About 100 grams of a substance believed to be methamphetamine, known on the
street as speed, was seized in the walkup suite, he said.

The mobile lab equipment was contained in two milk crates and could fit
into a car trunk.

Hayden suspects there are lots of similar labs operating in the Edmonton
area, but "we have a tough time finding them, because they're so mobile.
They build this stuff, mix it up and move on."

On Thursday morning, investigators sealed themselves into blue plastic
suits and boots, pulled on respirators and scoured the apartment.

Bylaw officers dropped in later to pick up the three cats.

Hayden said about five labs have been busted in the past year, not a great
number, but the drug is becoming more popular.

"It ends up in raves. It ends up anywhere on the street. You can buy this
in any bar. Since 1998, we've seen a huge proliferation of speed in the city."

In fact, he said, there apparently is a move towards speed and away from
ecstasy at raves.

"The assumption on our part is there's some organized crime groups,
particularly outlaw motorcycle gangs, who

didn't have a part of the proceeds from ecstasy, and they wanted to move in
and get a greater cut."

The scariest thing about drugs coming from the illegal labs is that no one
knows what ingredients are in the drug.

Buyers, he said, "have no idea what they're taking. They have no idea of
the potency. They have no idea what by-products are mixed in with it."

Samples from this raid will be sent to the Health Canada lab in British
Columbia for testing.

Under Canadian law, owning the chemicals is not illegal but manufacturing
the finished product is, he said.

Meanwhile, Paulain Manor manager Matt West explained that a young woman
began renting the suite about three or four months ago, though there was
also a man living with her.

"I suspected all along there was something going on in there," said West.
"There were strange people going in and out of there, even with briefcases
and stuff like that."

James Robert Maxwell, 33, faces a charge of possession for the purpose of
trafficking, two counts of breach of recognizance, and possession of
property obtained by crime.

Michael Brian Martineau, 47, is charged with possession for the purpose of
trafficking and possession of property obtained by crime.

Jennifer Grace Crawford, 19, is charged with obstruction, possession of a
controlled substance and outstanding warrants. Neil James Wenger, 22, was
arrested on outstanding warrants.