KANSAS METH FIGHTERS PLEAD FOR FEDERAL HELP

SALINA -- Kansas faces increased methamphetamine production, and law
enforcement officials need all the help they can get to fight it, witnesses
told a congressional subcommittee Tuesday.

Among those speaking at the U.S. House Judiciary subcommittee field hearing
was Larry Welch, director of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. He said
federal grant money pays for eight of the 31 KBI agents assigned to
narcotics.

But he added that the KBI needs four more chemists in its laboratories
because of the increased number of meth cases.

"It is methamphetamine driven. It's a phenomenon," Welch said. "More money
and help is needed from Washington."

U.S. Rep. Jerry Moran, who invited the subcommittee to his district, said
during an interview that law officials are overwhelmed by meth cases.

"People think drugs aren't a problem in this state, and we think we are
immune because we are rural," Moran said. "But the problem occurs because
we are rural."