"DRUG-BUSTERS ARREST OWNER OF STORE"

JUNCTION CITY- In an unusual twist in the battle against Lane County's
methamphetamine industry, investigators Thursday arrested the owner of a
Junction city feed store on charges that he knowingly sold large quantities
of iodine for use in manufacturing the drug.

David Allen Miller, 60, was arrested at Junction City Farm and Garden
shortly befor noon after a six-month undercover investigation by agents of
the Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team.

Lt. Pete Kerns of Eugene police said Miller is being charged with unlawful
manufacture of meth, conspiracy to manufacture meth, racketeering and
illegally selling drug equipment. Miller, of 93618 Prairie Road, was being
held at the Lane County Jail.

Since the summer of 1998, INET has asked feed stores to keep track of
iodine sales. Officers also asked store employees to require photo
identification from people who buy iodine and to record the license number
of their cars.

That information is passed on to INET by cooperating store operators.

INET agents said they have been working with feed store owners because
iodine is a critical ingredient in making meth, along with a variety of
legal substances such as decongestants, ether, lye, distilled water and red
phosphorous.

Meth producers boil the 7 percent iodine solution sold at feed stores and
then use the iodine residue to make the powerful stimulant.

Large amounts of iodine are needed for the process, with a gallon of
iodine solution needed to produce an ounce of meth, agents said.

Most feed stores carry iodine for sale to farmers who use it to treat
livestock for injuries and diseases. But farmers typically buy only small
amounts of iodine for such purposes.

Kerns said undercover agents approached Miller after criminal defendants
and other sources said Miller was knowingly selling large quantities of
iodine to meth producers.

Investigators recorded conversations with Miller in which undercover agents
told the store owner that they intended to use the iodine they were buying
to produce meth, Kerns said.

According to Kerns, Miller promised not to report the iodine sales to
authorities, and he also agreed to become the source for distribution of
large quantities of iodine to a network of meth producers.

INET agents bought enough iodine from Miller over the past six months to
produce 2.6 pounds of meth, with a potential street value of $118,000,
Kerns said.

Kerns said INET agents also have traced iodine sold from Miller's store to
ingredients found at several meth labs.

So far this year, agents have seized a total of 64 meth labs. If that rate
continues through the end of December, it would mark a decrease from 1998
when a total of 80 labs were busted.

Investigators attribute that decrease, in part, to working with feed-store
owners to monitor iodine sales.