DEA urges retailers to aid in meth fight

The Drug Enforcement Administration in Utah says it can't fight methamphetamine alone.

That's why the DEA this week is sponsoring a conference for local retailers on what they can do to help prevent the production of meth.

"The goal of the conference is to get everyone working together," DEA Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Barry Jamison told a group of retailers gathered at the Red Lion Hotel, 161 W. 600 South, Tuesday. "We all live and work here and have a vested interest in the state."

The number of meth labs seized by DEA agents has steadily declined over the past four years. Since reaching its peak in fiscal year 1999 with 235 labs seized, agents seized just 86 labs in 2003.

The decline is not due to agents searching any less, Jamison said. Rather, he said there are simply fewer labs out there. And the ones they are finding are much smaller than the labs of five of six years ago.

Just a few years ago, there were many more explosions from large volatile labs, Jamison said, taking out houses, apartments and hotel rooms. The majority of labs found today are small enough to fit in a box in a car or in the corner of a house.

"Labs have taken a significant decline in Utah," Jamison said.

But to continue that decline, law enforcers say local retailers need to be their "eyes and ears." The conference is designed to train store owners and employees to "put 2 and 2 together" and know what red flags they should look for from potential meth makers, he said.

"People can't make meth without going through you," Jamison told the retailers.

Those who buy large quantities of cold medicine, iodine or matches should raise concerns for store employees.

But authorities say it's not always the precursor chemicals retailers should look for. Sometimes certain combinations of everyday products such as coffee filters and a garden hose are giveaways.

"If they can't buy it, they can't make it," said Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff.

Even though the meth supply locally has gone down, authorities say the demand hasn't. Jamison said he hadn't noticed much of a decline in the number of emergency room visits due to methamphetamine.

Methamphetamine is still the No. 1 problem on the drug front, he said. Agents have reduced the amount of meth being produced locally, but there is still a battle with the drug being imported into Utah.

Shurtleff said more needs to be done to fight the problem of addiction in Utah.

"We're working hard to cut off supply. We also need to work on demand," he said.

The conference will be repeated today (Wednesday) at the Ogden Marriott.

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E-mail: preavy@desnews.com