METHAMPHETAMINE USE A DANGER TO USER, FAMILY, PUBLIC

Methamphetamine is a problem, and for some, it's personal. Bullhead
City police officer Brandon Grasse is a member of the department's
SWAT Team, and has seen the effects of meth on residents. "We really
see a lot of meth," Grasse said. "For some reason, it's become the
drug of choice, I think, in a lot of cities in the nation. We do see
a lot of it."

Meth Dealers, Users

"These people will steal ... they could kill you," Grasse said about
meth dealers and users. "They're very dangerous people."

When meth dealers buy or make their drugs, there's only one thing to
do - get rid of it.

"They'll sell it, pretty much, as quickly as they can ... to get
money to buy more, and also so there is not so much in their home,"
Grasse said.

Low-level dealers will let users know when they have it, according to
Grasse. Users in the Tri-state area are thought to number in the hundreds.

Sometimes meth addicts will burglarize vehicles or break into homes
to get money to buy the meth.

"They'll do just about anything to get it," Grasse said.

"For bigger amounts, you will sometimes see home deliveries," he
said. "You may be able to call up a certain dealer, place an order,
and he may have someone drop it off for you. It's a large amount, he
can make some money off of it."

One way to spot a dealer's house is by the level of traffic.

"Extra traffic is a big sign," Grasse said. "Generally, people who
come to buy drugs stay there for a matter of minutes. They're in and
out. You'll see numerous different cars coming. Especially when
you're seeing the late night, one or two in the morning, you're
seeing cars come for several minutes and then leave. That's a sign
that something's probably not right there."

Meth Labs

One of the more deadly, and potentially most dangerous, aspects of
meth is the cooking process, according to Grasse.

"I've been on several lab (busts)," he said. "Meth labs ... there's a
lot of danger in those. The chemicals they use, a lot of them are
very flammable (such as gasoline). A lot of times, it's not hard to
catch the structure of a meth lab on fire. The person cooking the
chemicals generally doesn't use safety precautions.

"The chemicals in the air create a lot of danger for us. We can't
breathe those chemicals. A lot of times, (after going into a meth
lab), we'll actually have to burn our clothes. We always have to wear
air tanks when we go in. We try to use every precaution, but still,
(we) have to watch out for booby traps. If we're to hit one of those
meth labs at a bad time, it could catch on fire."

Grasse said the easiest way to spot a meth lab is by the smell around
the house. Describing the pungent stench, Grasse likened it to "cat
urine and bleach." Other signs may include "Beware of Dog" and "No
trespassing" signs, according to Grasse.

Although meth labs are a problem, Grasse and other law enforcement
experts here are taking them down.

"It's definitely a high-risk situation," Grasse said. "Usually the
people are really agitated. They're paranoid. A lot of them have been
up for several days at a time. They always have a (fear) that police
will come to their house. Not to mention they have other people in
the community that are drug users and drug dealers who may come to
their house to hurt them.

"A lot of times there are weapons," he said. "We try to get in there
as fast as we can before anything can go wrong, or any violence takes
place. We take people into custody quickly before they can reach any
weapons or have time to think about really going for the weapon."

Grasse said a lot of meth dealers are buying their product now
because it's become increasingly difficult to set up labs.

"It's become a problem for them to make it, which is good," he said.

Tri-State Meth

When dealers need to buy their meth, sometimes they'll go somewhere
else to get it, according to Grasse. The police department has
"snitches" who tip them off sometimes on when a drug dealer is making "a run."

"With Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Phoenix so close, we do get a lot of
drugs coming in from other cities," he said. "A lot of drugs come in
from California, from what we understand, and Las Vegas too.
Sometimes the dealers will go to Vegas to get a better price on it
and bring it back to Bullhead, because it's a larger city and they
have more to choose from. It does create a problem in the Tri-state
area. They have a lot more options available to them to get the drugs."

Pseudoephedrine Law

One option that has been taken away from meth manufacturers is the
ability to buy their key ingredient in bulk - pseudoephedrine. The
Bullhead City ordinance helps track and control the sale of cold
medicines containing pseudoephedrine.

"I really do think (the new law) helps," Grasse said. "Anything we
can do to prevent (the wrong) people from getting pseudoephedrine in
their hands is a help. We'll have to see how this plays out, and what
kind of difference it makes in the community. I think any precautions
we can take are a good thing. The people who need (cold medicine
products containing pseudoephedrine) are still able to get it. We
just have to take more steps (to prevent it) from getting in the wrong hands."

Although the new law makes it harder for meth cookers to get their
hands on cartons of pseudoephedrine, Grasse remembers how it used to be.

"I remember when I first came on, we'd find boxes of cold tablets in
their trash cans that they used to make meth," he said. "A lot of
times when (we) go to meth labs, (we'll) see what we call 'meth
trash.' A lot of times that can be some of their chemicals they've
tossed in the trash. You'll find boxes, and boxes and boxes of
(pseudoephedrine). Over the years it's become harder for (meth
makers) to get it because of these regulations. So, they are working."

Other items used to make meth are still easy to purchase, according to Grasse.

"A lot of times they can buy them at a grocery store," he said. "A
lot of times ... gasoline, paint thinner ... things of that nature
are used for these meth labs. A lot of them are easily available."

Meth And Youth

One of the saddest things Grasse's seen is the effect of meth on youth.

"You see younger children getting involved," he said. "Unfortunately,
a lot of times their parents are involved, and I think they pick it
up from them, or sometimes take some from their parents to first get
involved. Another thing is, you always see the kids who are really
neglected because their parents are using meth. I see that affecting
a lot of the younger people too. They have a hard time because their
parents are addicted to meth, and when their parents are addicted,
they're not really being raised the way they should be, and they know
it. It takes an affect on them, their school work and their overall outlook."

If you suspect meth in your neighborhood, call your local law
enforcement agency or the Bullhead City police at 928-763-1999.