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Methamphetamine Awareness and Prevention Project of South Dakota

METH Awareness And Prevention Project of South Dakota

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March 16, 2007

In Mexico Authorities confiscated more than $205-million in U.S. currency from Meth producers in one of Mexico City’s ritziest neighborhoods. They say it reveals the vast scope of an illegal drug trade linking Asia, Mexico and the United States. Two of the seven people arrested in the raid were Chinese nationals. The group was part of a larger drug-trafficking organization that imports precursor chemicals from companies in India and China for processing into Meth in Mexican "super labs" and moved into the U.S. for sale. The investigation began in December after authorities seized 19 tons of pseudoephedrine at a Mexican port on the Pacific Coast. Mexican officials said the cash seized was mostly in U.S. $100 bills and weighed at least 4,500 pounds. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said that, if confirmed, the cash seizure would be several times larger than any other made from drug traffickers. Before this bust, the largest reported amount of cash seized by Mexican authorities was $7-million. A naturalized Mexican citizen of Chinese descent who appeared to have left the country allegedly led the traffickers.

In Arizona A Meth dealer was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, plus five years of supervised release. The 35-year-old man pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute Meth, two counts of possession with the intent to distribute Meth, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Officers found 266 grams of Meth and ammunition in the car his car after a traffic stop. They found another 386 grams of Meth and a 12-gauge shotgun in his home.

In Tennessee Police arrested two people after discovering a Meth lab in a mobile home. The man and woman are both charged with manufacturing with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia.

In Iowa Two search warrants yielded three arrests on Meth related charges. A 41-year-old man was arrested when officers found Meth and a Meth lab in his home, along with waste from previous Meth manufacturing. He faces multiple charges, including one for child endangerment. A 46-year-old woman and a 36-year-old man were arrested at the second home, where officers found evidence of Meth possession and manufacturing.

In Michigan Two weeks after a former township supervisor pleaded guilty to possessing Meth, his 48-year-old wife pleaded guilty to the same charge. They were each charged in December with one count of possession of Meth and two counts of operating and maintaining a Meth lab. The woman was also charged with one count of Meth delivery and manufacture. All of the charges are felonies. Both defendants face up to 10 years in prison and $15,000 in fines when they are sentenced in April.

In Nebraska A task force found more than 7-ounces of red phosphorus, enough to make up to four pounds of Meth.

In California Police confiscated Meth and were able to serve a number of warrants on a man after a traffic stop. Police arrested the 37-year-old after a consensual search of his car turned up a small amount of Meth. The suspect allegedly lied to police about his name and date of birth. In addition to charges of Meth possession and giving false information to a police officer, he was charged with a slew of warrants for other crimes.

In California A 25-year-old man was sentenced to 11 years, four months in prison for the sale and transportation of Meth. He had 3.8 ounces of Meth when he was pulled over by police in 2006. While on probation two months later, he was found in possession of 5.5 ounces of Meth and a loaded semi-automatic handgun during another traffic stop. Then a search of his home turned up three firearms, scales, a stolen laptop computer and a half-ounce of Meth. He pleaded guilty to charges related to all three incidents.