SWEEPS PLANNED TO FIND BANNED METH INGREDIENT

Time is up for non-pharmacies to legally dispose of pseudoephedrine
tablets, law enforcement officials said Friday as they announced undercover
sweeps to identify offenders and find black-market providers.

"No more Mr. Nice Guy," said Mark Woodward, spokesman for the Oklahoma
Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. "We will be doing undercover
sweeps around the state to identify stores that continue to possess and
sell pseudoephedrine tablets and they risk jail time."

Drug investigators also are preparing for the possibly expanding black
market for the methamphetamine ingredient, he said.

"We do expect it," he said. "We'll deal with it."

Gov. Brad Henry signed legislation April 6 that banned the sale of
pseudoephedrine tablets in stores without a licensed pharmacist. The law
does not affect the sale of pseudoephedrine in capsule and liquid forms.

Businesses other than pharmacies were to remove the tablets immediately
from public access. However, law enforcement gave the businesses a 30-day
grace period to arrange buybacks or have investigators take possession of
the tablets.

Time expired Friday.

Businesses that still have the tablets should call law enforcement
immediately, Woodward said, or risk harsher penalties if caught during a
sting. Those found guilty of selling pseudoephedrine tablets can be
sentenced to as many as five years in prison and fined up to $1,000.

The goal is to cut the supply of pseudoephedrine to methamphetamine
manufacturers. Law enforcement officials believe that could make a dent in
the methamphetamine trade.

"We've already seen some effects," Woodward said. "It's not going to stop
them from buying black market pseudoephedrine from the back of trucks, but
it's going to make a difference because they can't go across the street."