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Winning the war against meth

Winning the war against meth - Wednesday, November 14, 2007 at 6:20PM EST

Wednesday, Nov 14, 2007 @06:20pm EST

It’s a deadly drug that swept through the northern tier of Pennsylvania like wildfire.

A few years ago methamphetamine dealers, and manufactures set up shop.

But now, big meth busts seem to be a thing of the past.

So where did the meth go?

Meths dealer arrested and meth labs burnt to the ground were things people in Bradford County were used to seeing all the time.

But not any more.

Two years ago, Newsweek called the county meth valley.

Pennsylvania state police Marty Connors says, "the problem was that the criminals had a head start on us, if you will, as far as knowledge, and how to actually make the meth."

The gap has closed.

The numbers speak for themselves.

32 meth labs were seized in 2001 in Bradford County.

Almost 1 every 3 weeks.

Compare that to 2007.

Meth labs seized? One.

Ingredients used to make meth were taken away from makers.

Joe Mihalek of Plaza Pharmacy says, "it became suspicous, we kind of knew what they were doing."

Meth makers buying handfulls of Sudafed, and other cold medicine.

They contain psuedoephedrine, a key meth ingredient.

Since April 2006, federal law requires all psuedoephedrine purchases be logged.

There's also daily purchase limits.

"they're down to buying one box here, and the good thing is now everybody's information has to be recorded by law," says Mihalek.

Here at NAPA auto parts in Wyalusing, meth ingredients were also put behind the counter.

Brake cleaner, and starter fluid were taken off shelves.

The owner says meth makers reacted suspicously.

Some were reported to police.

While ingredients were taken away, neighbors caught on too.

Trooper Connors says, "seeing large ventilation fans at the homes next door, and smelling what they believe to be strong cat urine."

It was signs of meth makers cooking a highly flammable and explosive drug..

Someone was cooking meth out of this trailer in Durrell.

It burnt to the ground, and it's remains still sit here today.

State police formed a clandestine lab team, to clean up the toxic aftermath of a fire like this.

People living in Bradford County say they notice big changes, but are skeptical.

Lee Bendinsky of Wyalusing says, "i sure don't hear as much about actual users or activity and so on as i did a few years ago. So i'm hoping it's declining, but to say it's gone? No."

Another Bradford County neighbor says, "we got some of the serious pushers out of here. And the youths are acting better than they used to too, police are doing a good job. Do you think the problem still could be here though? Oh sure."

But for now, state police, and other law enforcement say they're winning the war against meth.

The people that are busted in meth stings serve time in federal prison.

That seemed to be another key part in the battle against meth.

State police say some of those people busted in the Towanda area back in 2005 are serving terms ranging from 4 to 7 years.
 


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