REGION KICKS OFF METH BUSTERS INITIATIVE

If dope dealers and methamphetamine cooks had seen the power, unity, and
commitment inside Sherman's Federal Building Monday, many of them would
turn tail and run.

With law enforcement agencies at every level fighting its individual battle
against drugs, Monday's Meth Busters initiative kick-off showed the serious
stance prosecutors and lawmakers are also taking to fight the fight. The
last partner the Meth Busters task force has invited in is the public.

Uniforms met business suits inside the Grand Jury room at the kickoff
hosted by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Methamphetamine has become such a common problem in rural and urban areas
that officials and lawmakers decided it was time to pool their resources
and commitments together.

"This aggressive drug enforcement activity will go a long way to eradicate
the drug problem," U.S. Marshal John Moore opened the meeting by saying,
"and will give a heightened sense of awareness (to the problem)."

Joining local law enforcement agencies from Cooke, Grayson, Lamar, Collin,
Fannin, and Denton counties, were district attorneys, agents from federal
agencies including the Drug Enforcement Agency, FBI, U.S. marshals and
attorneys.

U.S. Attorney, Eastern District of Texas, Matt Orwig said there's been an
explosion in the use of meth and an explosion in trafficking within the
Eastern District of Texas. "A teenager in Tyler or Sherman is more likely
to use meth than those in Dallas," he said. "Drugs are stronger, users are
younger, and dealers are more violent and dangerous."

The Meth Busters program is targeting the first and secondary problems of
drug use and drug sales, he said. "Addiction is devastating," he said. In
their wake for the drug, people are being victimized through theft,
forgeries, burglaries, children with residual toxins found in their bodies.

Texas State Representative Larry Phillips committed his efforts by saying,
"We at the state level will step and work hard to pass laws to get these
drugs off the street. Our children and elderly are too precious and need to
be saved."

In addition to the mom-and-pop labs springing up everywhere, Orwig said, we
are seeing an influx from Mexico and California." That meth, he said, is
considerably more pure and therefore more dangerous, even deadly.

"For every pound of meth produced, there are six pounds of toxic waste,"
Orwig said. "Every lab has to have a Hazmat team to clean it up, and the
cost of those has gone up to $1 million."

"Many of our good cases thoughout law enforcement have been made by people
nothing (things out of the ordinary)," Orwig said.

Fannin County District Attorney Myles Porter and Cooke County District
Attorney Janell Haverkamp also spoke to the situation, both saying many of
these cases involve people have stolen anhydrous ammonia from rural areas.
Anhydrous ammonia is a precursor to manufacturing meth, they explained.

How does the public drop a dime on a suspicious person or activity? Simply
by calling their local law enforcement office. They can, as well, look up
the Drug Enforcement Agency to get phone numbers.

Grayson County Sheriff Keith Gary said the meth problem has gotten much
worse, although, he said Grayson County narcotics officers have closed down
more labs then most agencies across the state.

"It's the most insidious drug. I've talked to people (users)," Gary said,
"and they said there is nothing like the high from meth."

Meth [Gary] described ways meth can be consumed in more formal words than
former addict John described it, who said it can be smoked, poked, choked
or toked.

DEA Demand Reduction Coordinator Michelle Denver said part of her job is to
educate the public. She speaks with civic groups and goes to schools,
explaining to everyone in her hearing path of the tell-tale signs of a drug
user or what constitutes suspicious behavior in a neighborhood.

A portion of the Meth Busters initiative is to move prosecution as quickly
through the courts as they can. Orwig said a small amount of the offenders
commit the largest amount of crime. "Take the worst offenders off the
streets and you've made an impact," he said.

Federal prosecutors look for cases involving firearms, "because guns and
meth in particular make for a very volatile and dangerous combination,"
Orwig said, speaking about the meth user's irrational and paranoid behaviors.

"We have a strong interest in their criminal histories, whether firearms
are involved, and the types and amounts of drugs involved."