POLICE INSULTED METH LAB WAS CLOSE TO DETACHMENT

TERRACE'S TOP police officer says he and fellow officers were insulted a
crystal meth lab was found a half block from their detachment.

"Absolutely. To be quite honest it was an affront they chose to set up shop
like that. It really disturbs me," said Terrace RCMP Inspector Marlin
Degrand.

The lab, described by Degrand as a standard size one for what it was
producing, was only discovered after firefighters arrived at 4827 Lazelle
Ave. March 2 to put out a fire on the second floor of the residence.

Degrand did not want to speculate that the meth makers chose to set up shop
so close to his detachment so as to not draw attention to themselves."

"It is a high traffic area. There is a lot of foot traffic through there. It
close to a motel. It is close to businesses. There could be a number of
reasons why it was set up there," he said.

Police say the home had been rented for a couple of months, but don't know
for how long a meth lab had been set up.

And it's too early for police to know if the lab was set up because of an
existing demand for the drug, in hopes that a ready supply would lead to a
local demand or if the product was being made to sell out of the area, said
Degrand.

"We're not going to be naive to think there was no use of methamphetamine in
the community. You can get any drug you want in Terrace," he said.

Degrand said there's been an increase in vehicle theft and property crime in
the last while.

His officers have also noticed a shift in crystal meth use away from it
being an occasional party drug to one that is finding a steady and ready
market.

"But I think we are at a point in this community where we can stem it if the
community decides. We have an opportunity here to work together to go after
this and have a chance of success to reduce this to a tolerable fringe
element," said Degrand.

"I don't want this community to become like other communities with the
criminal and social effects methaphetamine can bring," he added.