METH LABS ON THE RISE IN N.C.

The meteoric rise of methamphetamine labs in North Carolina has spread to
areas around the Twin Counties, but its use and manufacture hasn't expanded
to Nash and Edgecombe counties, law enforcement officers said.

"It's around us," said Rocky Mount police Lt. J. Wayne Sears. "We have not
seen a problem with meth consumption or meth production.

"We do not have a large meth consumption market. Without demand, you don't
see a lot of meth labs."

Since 1999, the first year that meth labs were reported in North Carolina,
SBI agents have discovered nine labs. In 2003, state agents shut down 177
labs, and through the first four months of this year, 108 labs have been
destroyed.

"We've been fortunate that Nash County has not had any, even though it's on
the rise," said Maj. Dennis Lyons of the Nash County Sheriff's Department.

Edgecombe County Sheriff James Knight echoed those thoughts.

"As of yet, we have not seen any in our county," he said. "But we know it's
coming."

Although most labs in the state produce small amounts of the drug, the
production facilities pose a risk for law enforcement, as well as
firefighters. The production, which uses flammable items like red
phosphorous, ether and anhydrous ammonia, often yields explosions.

"Red phosphorous is highly reactive to moisture and has to be stored in
kerosene or oil," Sears said. "If there's a fire at a meth lab, and
firefighters don't know what's inside, they're going to put water on the fire.

"And when you put water on a meth lab, you'll have a huge explosion."

Crystal meth, which was popular in the 1960s and '70s, has resurfaced in
recent years across the country. It has similar qualities to powder
cocaine, and it also can be inhaled.

"But the duration of cocaine is shorter than crystal meth," Sears added.
"The difference between coke and meth is that a cocaine high will be over
in about an hour, but with meth, you have eight hours to deal with - maybe 12."

Sears said the cost of meth, between $80 and $100 a gram, has dropped about
200 percent in the past three years because of its availability has risen
so dramatically.

N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper has been pushing for stiffer penalties for
those who are caught making crystal meth. In May, Cooper delivered a report
to state lawmakers that outlined the rising danger of the drug's
production, as well as recommendations to curb the hazard.

The bill calls for making possession of meth-making ingredients a more
serious crime, and adding meth to the list of drugs that can trigger a
second-degree murder charge when the drug causes an overdose.

"This will be a good law for the Senate and House to pass," Knight said.
"It will let everyone know this is a serious drug we're dealing with."

Some of the signs that meth labs might be popping up include a large supply
of cold medicine and lithium batteries, both of which can be used in meth
production. The smell of ammonia, acetone or paint thinner, as well as
large numbers of chemical containers, especially brown jars, also indicate
a possible meth lab nearby.

"Whether it's a few grams or a few ounces, the hazard exists," Sears said.
"You can have explosions, environmental dangers and HAZMAT issues.

"Meth labs are one of the most dangerous situations to law enforcement today."