LAW ENFORCEMENT CRACKDOWN COMMENDABLE

Area law enforcement agencies have a new weapon in their arsenal
against an epidemic rapidly invading southern West Virginia and
Southwest Virginia - clandestine laboratories also known as
methamphetamine labs. A new law recently enacted by the West Virginia
Legislature says any person who operates or attempts to operate a
clandestine drug laboratory in West Virginia in guilty of a felony and
will face not less than two years and no more than 10 years in prison,
if convicted.

The new law puts enough bite in the punishment that authorities hope
would-be felons will think twice before putting together an illegal
lab in our area of the two Virginias.

Law officers report the popularity of clandestine laboratories are on
the rise and rapidly moving across the state. However, enforcement
agencies are on their track, having dismantled more than 100 labs in
the past six months. The labs can be assembled in basements, garages
and even vehicles. Used for the purpose of manufacturing
methamphetamine or lysergic acid diethylamide, the operations are
usually set up by treacherous and experienced chemical handlers.

One of the problems law authorities face is the labs can be made
mobile and can be moved in vehicles. Another problem, is the labs are
very flammable and can be dangerous to police when they approach them
to take possession of the labs and make arrests.

The new law, a successful project of the West Virginia Prosecutor's
Association in 2003, will be helpful in the local area where the
establishment of the labs is growing, local officials report. Also,
illegal use of methamphetamine labs is on the rise in Southwest
Virginia, Assistant U.S. Attorney for Southwest Virginia, Randy
Ramseyer, said. Apparently the problem originated in the western
portion of Virginia and is moving into the Southwest section now.
Local officials report they think there are meth labs in operation in
the Tazewell County area now.

We commend the state prosecutors who pushed for the law to make the
crime a felony in the Mountain State and law enforcement and other
agencies that are meeting the problem head-on, with training, learning
more about the risk of explosions and how to respond to a potential
meth lab.

Ridding our area of drugs is becoming more important every day as uses
change, grow and affect our citizens young and old.