As Economy Falters, Meth Labs Grow

One of the toughest battles in the war on drugs is the one against methamphetamine.

These days, the recession is making it harder for police to win this fight.

From foreclosures to unemployment, this has been a record-breaking recession.

But as the economy continues to cave, there's at one least one record Illinois didn't know it might break. The number of meth labs being seized is reaching new proportions.

In the Pekin area, what was once called the 'meth capital' of the state, police have seen a 48 percent increase over the past year.

What some meth response teams have noticed is drug dealers need to make a buck. Compared to crack, heroine, and other, more expensive narcotics that many people can no longer afford, meth is easy to make and even easier to sell.

A recovering meth addict told Fox Chicago News a drug dealer can make about a thousand dollars selling a few grams of meth on the street, sometimes for as much as 240 dollars. She also said it costs as little as 100 dollars to buy all the supplies. She adds, "its a lot easier to do than like try to go out and try to find a job."

Making meth is not as easy as it used to be. As the stakes have increased, many meth cooks around the state are trading in their stationary lab for for a more mobile one.

Master sergeant Ken Mullen supervises an Illinois State Police meth response team in the Peoria area. He says some meth cooks "will actually physically go out and put everything they would have put into their house into their car. They'll go out. They'll drive around."

State police also say these meth cooks often set up shop in wooded, road side areas. Others are even more mobile than that, literally driving around with a mini-meth lab in their car. Police often come across them unexpected during a traffic stop.

They're using a technique is known as the 'one pot' or 'shake and bake.' The process primarily takes place in a two liter bottle and takes about 35 minutes. It can be dangerous. The DEA's Will Taylor says, "Fire is definitely a huge issue because of the quantity of flammable solvents that are used."

As meth has become more popular, substance abuse experts expect it won't go away any time soon, even after the economy picks up. Dr. David Loveland is the research director for the Human Service Center in Peoria. He says "I don’t know if we're gonna see a drop in meth because meth is still gonna be cheaper and give you a better high than coke, heroin."

Meth problems are not limited to Illinois. Indiana state police saw a 51 percent increase in the number of meth labs seized state wide in 2009.

According to DEA statistics, it has jumped 33 percent in the last three years nationwide.