RAIDS CONTINUING TO SHOW GRUNDY AS METH LAB 'HOTBED'

GRUNDY COUNTY - Gruetli-Laager police in three raids last week upped
their methamphetamine lab count to 31 for the first nine weeks of
2002, putting them on pace for 165 for a single year. Meth labs are
out there in plenty and all authorities have to do is find them, Sgt.
Kevin Keele says, the reason the department has gone public in an
appeal for information to help root them out.

Police assisted by Grundy and Marion County Sheriff's Department
personnel siezed three labs and components, marijuana, a gallon bag
of explosive material, two vehicles and more than $500.

Officers on March 6 raided the Tracy City residence of Shane Campbell
and Joy Sitz for a second time within a month, seizing a second meth
lab and chemicals, Keele said. They were charged with criminal
attempt to manufacture meth and felony possession of drug
paraphernalia.

Items reported confiscated included a case of matches, muriatic acid,
fuel line anti-freeze, brake cleaner, iodine and ephedrine. Also
seized, Keele said, were several samples of multi-layered liquids
which appeared to be the products of a meth cook.

Six people were arrested and two vehicles siezed in a March 8 raid on
the residence of Luke Williams at Hobbs Hill where officers found a
meth lab in operation in an outbuilding, Keele said, also noting the
recovery of finished meth and numerous chemicals used to produce it.

Williams, charged with the manufacture of meth and felony possession
of drug paraphernalia, and Peggy Davis Smith, who was charged with
the criminal attempt to manufacture meth, were arrested at the scene,
he said.

According to police, a 1996 Jeep Cherokee occupied by Tim S. Hoar and
Lisa Gail Fults was siezed and they charged after used coffee filters
with residue, red phosphorous and used syringes were found in it.

According to Grundy County Jail records, Hoar was charged with
conspiracy to manufacture meth and he and Fults with felony
possession of paraphernalia.

A second vehicle, a 1991 Isuzu Amigo, was seized and Larry Joe Flippo
of Sale Creek and Michelle Barks Tucker arrested after they drove up
"intent on selling iodine" to be used in future cooks, Keele said.

Jail records show both were charged with conspiracy to manufacture
meth and felony possession of paraphernalia.

Execution of a search warrant March 9 at the Barker's Cove residence
of Johnny "Fruit Jar" Bray resulted in the discovery of a meth lab,
chemicals, several quarts of marijuana seed, an electronic greenhouse
seed starter, a plastic bag full of electric dynamite blasting caps,
and a stolen Honda 450 Foreman four-wheeler, Keele said.

Agents of the federal Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) field
office at Chattanooga were called to dispose of the blasting caps.

Bray was charged with manufacture of meth, felony possession of
paraphernalia, criminal attempt to manufacture marijuana, possession
of marijuana, felony possession of explosive components and theft of
property over $1,000.

"I would like to urge business owners, clerks and attendants who have
unusually large or suspicious purchases such as iodine, cases of
matches, alcohol, gas line anti-freeze, brake cleaner or other items
to report those sales to their respective law enforcement agencies,"
Keele said.

"With their assistance and the help of private citizens, we can all
be more effective in the fight against methamphetamine."

He urges anyone with information about meth manufacture or resale to
contact him by the e-mail address at GLPD1@blomand.net or by
telephone at (deleted by mapinc).

Persons giving information do not have to give their name. All
information will be looked into and held in confidence, Keele said.