METH COOKS FIND OPTION FOR MAKING DANGEROUS DRUGS

Red Phosphorus Is Being Used Instead Of Anhydrous Ammonia, Law Officials Say

EUREKA - Methamphetamine laws haven't caught up with realities on the
street, where police say an alternate method of "cooking" meth can be just
outside the scope of prosecution.

Red phosphorus, found in heads of matches, is used in one recipe for the
drug, but it is not listed among six precursor ingredients under which
prosecutors can bring meth-related charges.

Meth has become a popular drug because it can be created with common
ingredients like anhydrous ammonia, which is widely used by farmers. That
ingredient is covered by the law but can be substituted with phosphorus.

"The problem we're running into is red phosphorus isn't included in one of
those (pre-cursor chemicals) with which we're able to charge them. That
leaves us scrambling to look for a different way or another possible charge
under the law to charge those individuals with," Woodford County State's
Attorney Mike Stroh said Thursday.

The list of precursors was made in 1999, when then-Gov. George Ryan signed
several laws that doled out harsher penalties to people convicted of
meth-related charges.

If police bust a meth lab and one of the six precursor meth-making
chemicals is found, it's easier to bring meth-related charges. Illicit
ingredients linked by law to meth production include lithium metal (found
in batteries) and hypophosphorus acid, to name a few.

However, in some cases, police have busted labs where there were no
precursor chemicals except leftover red phosphorus, making prosecution
difficult, officials said.

"I would hope red phosphorus would be added as one of the precursor
meth-making chemicals under the law," Stroh said.

While law-enforcement groups have seen several meth labs using red
phosphorus, the alternate use of anhydrous to "cook" meth is almost
exclusively what is used in this area. Everything necessary to manufacture
the drug is readily available.

"Anhydrous is so readily available. That's why it's an easy ingredient for
them to get their hands on - by stealing it - and that's why local and
state police keep a pretty close eye on the any anhydrous stealing," said
Larry Hawkins, the director of the Multi-County Narcotics Enforcement Group.

The red phosphorus method is highly explosive.

Peoria County State's Attorney Kevin Lyons said cases of meth-makers using
the red phosphorus recipe have not yet crept into his county. Tazewell
County officials could not be reached for comment.

"The substance (meth) is purely from manufactured chemicals. You can be in
your apartment and run and gather together ingredients needed to concoct
the final result. Whenever you have a manufactured substance, there are
always going to be methods of providing substitution," Lyons said.

Stroh said store owners should watch for individuals purchasing a large
amount of matches at one time, which are broken down and used as a chemical
in meth manufacture.

"That's indicative of someone who is involved in meth manufacture," Stroh said.

Store owners also should be aware of large purchases of ephedrine, an
ingredient in cold medicines that also is used in meth manufacture.