01/27/14 The Indiana State Police Meth Suppression Section has released the state-wide law enforcement clandestine lab seizure incidents reported for 2013. Taking a look at the statistics for lab seizures in Marshall County finds Marshall County out of the top ten.
Marshall County had a total of 33meth labs seized by the Indiana State Police and other agencies last year a substantial drop from the 42 labs in 2012. The past four years Marshall County has been in the top ten counties statewide for meth labs. In 2011 41 labs were dismantled and disposed of while 2010 there were 53 and in 2009 a total of 83.
In 2009 Marshall County was ranked second on the list of counties statewide with 83. They dropped to 8th in 2010 and were 9th on the list of 92 counties in 2011 and 2012. Over the thirteen year period, a total of 470 meth labs have been seized in our county which ranks us 8th overall.
The Indiana State Police have been tracking meth lab seizers since 2001 and show Marshall County with 5 labs that first year. In 2002 only 3 labs were located and then things started to grow rather rapidly. In 203 there were 16 labs and the next year 28. 2005 had 51 labs and 2006 there were 46. 2007 had meth labs dwindling down to 28 and in 2008 that number nearly doubled with 41. 2009 was the year Marshall County was second on the list of counties with 83 and then in 2010 there 53 labs, 2011 saw a reduction to 41 and staying steady in 2012 there were 42 and last year 33.
The ISP Post in Bremen, District 24 includes St. Joseph County, Marshall, Kosciusko and Elkhart counties. This past year Elkhart was fifth on the list of Meth Lab seizers with 63. Kosciusko tied Marshall County with 33 labs and St. Joseph had 13 by ISP and 27 reported from other agencies.
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 the Meth Suppression Section 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.
