TBI LAUNCHES HOT LINE TO TARGET METHAMPHETAMINE

BLOUNTVILLE - The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has created a
statewide methamphetamine watch program to help fight the escalating
problem of the highly addictive drug.

During a press conference Monday, Sullivan County District Attorney
Greeley Wells announced the new watch program and the hot line number
(1-877-TNN-METH) people can call if they suspect someone is buying the
chemicals for use in a meth lab.

"Methamphetamine and the labs have been an escalating problem in
Sullivan County over the last 18 months," Wells said. "It's a
tremendous problem, a very highly addictive drug, and it is a very
dangerous drug to manufacture."

Over the past 18 months, Wells said law enforcement agents have
discovered six meth labs in Sullivan County. For three years prior to
that time, Wells said authorities discovered one meth lab in Sullivan
County.

"What we're wanting to do is make public to the people in this area
the fact that the TBI has created a statewide meth watch with a 1-800
telephone number," Wells said. "It's for anyone who suspects that
there might be a meth lab operating in the house next door or that
someone is buying the chemicals that are used to manufacture
methamphetamine."

Chemicals used in the manufacture of meth include drain cleaner,
coffee filters, lighter fuel, starter fluid, cold medication and batteries.

"Most of the chemicals are things you can buy at convenience stores,
Wal-Mart, Kmart or any retail outlets that maintain general
merchandise," Wells said.

The average cost to clean up a meth lab is about $3,000, which doesn't
include the cost to repair or clean up damage done to the house or
building the lab is located in, Wells said.

William Benson, an assistant director at the TBI who handles drug
investigations, said the watch program began as a way for retail
employees to contact state law enforcement officials about any
suspected meth activity. The TBI would then pass that information on
to the appropriate local law enforcement agency.

Since then, the TBI decided to expand the program to the general
public.

"Several counties across the state have hot lines, but there wasn't
one statewide, so we wanted to come up with vehicles for retailers to
have an avenue to contact law enforcement when they suspected people
were coming in and buying the ingredients to cook meth," Benson said.
"We rolled this program out in mid-January, and we have received 130
to 140 calls. That information has led to the location of labs in
several parts of the state."

In June, a large meth lab was discovered in Mooresburg in Hawkins
County, which local officials said was one of the largest meth labs
ever found in East Tennessee.

In July, two meth labs were discovered in Sullivan County - one in a
trailer where two people were arrested, and the other when sheriff's
deputies served an aggravated assault warrant on a county man.

In August, authorities discovered a meth lab in Washington County
while serving an arrest warrant for failure to pay child support. Four
people were arrested.

Over the past 18 months, more than 700 children were taken from homes
where meth labs were discovered.

"This is a problem that is statewide," Benson said. "This is not in
any particular county; it's in every county."