TASK FORCE FORMED TO HELP EBB FLOW OF METH LABS INTO COUNTY

CLINTON - Local city and county government officials, along with members of
the media, met Tuesday morning at Sampson Community College to consider the
possibility of forming a task force to fight the spread of "meth labs" in
Sampson County. Agent Duane Deaver, with the State Bureau of
Investigation's Clandestine Lab Response Team, spoke with representatives
from Eastpointe, superintendents from Sampon County and Clinton City
schools, local law enforcement agencies, representatives of the Health
Department and the Department of Social Services, the Sampson County
manager, and members of The Sampson Independent and WCLN 1170 radio.

Deaver's visit was to provide information on the illegal "methamphetamine"
drugs that have been sweeping across the nation from California to Arkansas
and now into eastern North Carolina.

J.W. Simmons, SCC director of Occupational and Emergency Services Training,
said of the spread of "meth" through North Carolina, "It is a huge tidal
wave and it's coming our way. You can hear the rumbling and the thunder. We
realize we are now in the impact zone." Simmons was responsible for
organizing the meeting.

Deaver said that the spread of "meth" into eastern North Carolina could be
attributed to the fact that the drug is quick and cheap to make and it
offers a high that is three times stronger than cocaine or crack. The SBI
clandestine lab expert went on to say that "meth" is not a new drug. He
explained that "meth' dates back to speed in the 1970s. Deaver said speed
"died out for a while due to the dangers it imposed on the people that took
it."

Deaver and other SBI officials have been working with officials from
various counties across North Carolina in an effort to help authorities
identify signals that a "meth lab" exists in certain areas. Recently, SBI
authorities trained social workers in Harnett County. Two days later,
social workers exposed the existence of a "meth lab."

Simmons told the group of local officials that "traditional law enforcement
measures cannot and will not deal with the issue." Simmons explained that
the hiring of more officers may result in more arrests with no facilities
available to house those taken into custody.

Deaver agreed that it would take more than just arrests to fight the "meth"
problem. He told of one instance where one "meth" criminal was arrested
five separate times. He said once people are hooked on the drug it is hard
for them to let go of it.

The state law enforcement official went on to explain that "meth" has
become a more popular illegal drug because it is easy to make. "Everything
you need to make it can be found at Wal-Mart. Recipes for it are available
on the internet." Deaver added that meth labs are set up in numerous
stationary and mobile locations to include: apartments, basements, campers
, garages, mines, hotel rooms, orchards, sheds, trucks, vans, attics,
campsites, farm labor camps, houseboats and even in fields.

He related one recent event where a meth lab was set up in a hotel room in
Wake County. "Meth" was being made in the clandestine laboratory at the
same time the hotel's guests included state legislators and law enforcement
officials.

Simmons is hoping that the development of a task force will lead to the
educating of the public to help recognize the existence of meth labs in
their neighborhoods so that the clandestine labs can be found and
destroyed. Other topics the potential task force will focus on will be
counseling and prevention of "meth" use.

(As part of its commitment to help other government agencies and private
businesses fight this drug epidemic, The Sampson Independent will provide
numerous educational articles on this topic over the next year.)