Indiana State Police Dismantled 1,059 Meth Labs in 2008

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Methamphetamine (crank or speed as it is often called on the street) is an illegal and highly addictive central nervous system stimulant which can cause heart attacks, strokes, brain damage, and even death. Its users become physically and psychologically dependent on the drug.  A person under the influence of meth can become paranoid, delusional, and aggressive. This makes the user and the drug a danger to all communities.

Methamphetamine is usually made from crude clandestine laboratories (meth labs) found frequently in motel rooms, vehicles, woods, farm outbuildings, and homes in rural and urban communities. Methamphetamine is made using products found for sale at hardware stores, home supply stores, drug stores, and general discount stores.

During the cooking process, these labs release toxic and explosive vapors into the air. Items left over after the cooking process, commonly called meth trash, is usually dumped along road sides, fields, woods, or in the trash cans of unsuspecting home owners. Meth trash is extremely toxic and volatile. The making of methamphetamine and dumping of its trash continues to be a hazard in all 92 of Indiana’s counties.

During 2008, the Indiana State Police Clandestine Lab Team dismantled 1,059 meth labs, compared to 820 in 2007. In 2006, there were 766 labs dismantled.  

Labs Dismantled by ISP in the Peru District                     2008 Meth Suppression Section Statistics                                                         

                                     (2006)   (2007)      (2008)                          

Cass County                    11          10              9                       1,064 new cases 

Fulton County                  7            6               2                       1,336 retail visits

Howard County              20           21            30                    816 tips generated retailers/general public

Miami County                20           28            51                      273 Meth Awareness programs conducted

Tipton County                 1              1              1                      Over 14,408 people attended the programs

Wabash County               6             5      ____5__                  836 people arrested on 2,418 charges

Totals                              65           71            98 

“Methamphetamine production is a community problem,” stated First Sergeant Bob Land, a member of the Indiana State Police Clandestine Lab Enforcement Team. “The public is instrumental in locating many of the methamphetamine labs. We encourage citizens to report suspected methamphetamine activity by calling their local law enforcement or the anonymous Indiana State Police Methamphetamine Tip Line at 1-800-453-4756.  We need your information not your name.” 

Anyone who would like an educational presentation on what items criminals use to make methamphetamine should contact First Sergeant Bob Land at the Indiana State Police Peru Post by calling 1-800-382-0689.