According to a new report on Meth busts in Indiana, Vanderburgh County had more Meth labs busted than any other county in Indiana. ISP officers found 115 Meth Labs there.
A total of 1,721 labs were shut down in 92 Indiana Counties last year. That’s a 25 percent increase since 2011. Eighty-seven percent of those were one-pot meth labs, which have become more popular because they are ultra-portable.
One sad statistic is that in 2013, 440 children were identified in meth lab environments, which is up nearly 22 percent since 2011.
The Indiana State Police Meth Suppression Section has released the state-wide law enforcement clandestine lab seizure incidents reported for 2013.
The rest of the top 10 on the list were:
- Delaware County – 109 Meth Labs
- Noble County – 66 Meth Labs
- Allen County – 64 Meth Labs
- Elkhart County – 63 Meth Labs
- Monroe County – 62 Meth Labs
- Madison County – 61 Meth Labs
- Miami County – 49 Meth Labs
- Bartholomew County – 43 Meth Labs
- Decatur County – 41 Meth Labs
Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Scott and Washington are within District 45 and had a combined total of 135 Meth labs busted in 2013.
Clark had 31, Floyd 30; Harrison County 35, Scott had 10 and Washington County had 29 labs shut down.
Eight Indiana State Police personnel were initially certified to begin processing meth lab crime scenes in 1991.
The Indiana State Police began organizing and planning the Methamphetamine Suppression Section (MSS) in 2005 when the first restrictions were placed on the purchase of products containing pseudoephedrine (PSE) and ephedrine, which are precursor drugs used in the manufacture of methamphetamine found in over the counter cold remedies.
Since that time, additional restrictions have been placed on the sale and purchase of PSE products.
However, lab seizures have continued to rise to the point that based on information received from other states Indiana will be first in the country in clandestine lab incidents for 2013.
Currently, MSS consists of nineteen sworn personnel who are tasked with the full-time responsibility to investigate, educate, and partner with other law enforcement agencies and stakeholders to assist all communities in Indiana with combating the growing epidemic of the local manufacture of methamphetamine.
Report suspected meth activity anonymously online at www.meth.in.gov or by calling the Meth Tip Line at 1-800-453-4756.
