RCMP ENCOURAGE FARMERS TO WATCH MORE THAN THEIR CROPS

As the harvest season and winter preparation progress, the RCMP are
encouraging vigilance where anhydrous ammonia and other farm chemicals
are concerned. At this very busy time of the year when farmers are
getting the crop in or preparing their fields and equipment for
winter, the RCMP Drug Enforcement Units are also thinking about
agricultural, in particular fertilizer, and wondering if some is being
diverted into the manufacturing of dangerous drugs.

According to Sergeant Mark Mathias, with the Mayerthorpe RCMP, people
need to be on the lookout, but producers of methamphetamine can be
hard to spot.

"It's hard to say [what to look for] because the people doing it come
in all sorts of shapes and sizes," he said. "You can't just keep your
eyes out for an old broken down vehicle to be suspicious, it could be
a brand new pick-up that they have stolen.

"It's more a point of keeping track of your stuff, things like
anhydrous ammonia, and other things that can be used in the making of
meth have to be safely stored and maybe stored out of sight. The
biggest thing is not to make yourself a big target or an easy target."

The RCMP states that, methamphetamine or "meth" is a powerful
stimulant that is gaining popularity in Alberta and around the world.
D-methamphetamine HCL, is made from ephedrine or pseudoephedrine,
commonly found in diet pills, food supplements and some cold
medications. They create the most potent drug ever created, crystal
methamphetamine.

This new form of 'meth', was first seen in California in the early
1990s. There are dozens of recipes that can be used to make 'meth' in
a simple 'lab' using common household products and apparatus. The
process can use any number of hazardous chemicals in clandestine labs
that can be set up virtually anywhere. The most common method
currently in use in Alberta mixes chemicals such as red phosphorus and
iodine, to make this highly addictive drug.

According to Doug Green, a retired Police Officer who speaks to kids
and their parents about drugs, the Internet has created drug
traffickers of new potentials because they give kids information that
shouldn't be shared.

"The problem is it could be fatal," he said adding that the
availability of androxy-amonia makes this information twice as harmful
in rural settings.

"It is used in the cooking process," he explained. ' The other thing
about meth is that it's a gold mine. For $30 you can make a ton of
dope. For the drug dealers, you don't have to worry about smuggling it
in, swallowing it, or bringing it across the border. You just have to
go to Canadian Tire or Wal Mart and you get enough stuff to get at
it."

For users and trafficking groups, another technique can become a much
more attractive way to make 'meth'. This is known as the 'Birch
Reduction' or 'Nazi' method, which uses anhydrous ammonia as a key
part of the chemical reaction. In monitoring the methamphetamine
trend, police are concerned that the 'Birch' method of production
could be on the rise.

"The use of anhydrous ammonia in commercial or addiction based labs is
a key indicator in the methamphetamine trend," says Staff Sergeant Ian
Sanderson of the RCMP Drugs & Organized Crime Awareness Service,
Edmonton. "There has been a world-wide shift in the production of
methamphetamine. This could lead to a greater prevalence of the
'Birch' method by users, or commercial production in rural areas."

According to Green, most of us don't see the drugs in our
world.

"The telltale signs are inside and not necessarily outside," added
Mathias. "You can't even say that there is a lot of traffic because
somebody who is smart about it wouldn't want a lot of people coming in
and out.You can't truly say there is a lot of telltale signs because
they would be easier for us to find."

Corporal Rick Goldstein of K Division's Chemical Diversion Program
says, "Members of this program and the Clandestine Lab Enforcement and
Response Team are closely monitoring any incidence of anhydrous
ammonia thefts or suspicious activity in relation to the storage or
sale of the product. The members of Rural Crime Watch, Ag Retailers
and farmers across Alberta can play an important part in assisting
police in monitoring suspicious activity and reporting thefts of
anhydrous ammonia."

"A farmer knowingly supplying anhydrous ammonia for the production
would be liable for the same penalties as the person who makes the
drugs because they would be part of the process," said Mathias, adding
that they could face a maximum sentence of ten years to life in prison
if convicted.

Please report any thefts or suspicious activity involving anhydrous
ammonia to local police or Crimestoppers. You do not
have to give your name.