Crystal Meth Popping Up In Eastern Oregon

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Story Published: Oct 12, 2009 at 5:34 PM PST

By Holly Zuluaga

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EASTERN OREGON--More meth is making its way into Eastern Oregon.

First, the number of meth labs dropped when Oregon made stuff like Sudafed tough to get.

However, cops say the bad guys are finding other ways to get the drugs.

Cough syrup and Sudafed, all taken from the shelves in Oregon back in 2005, requiring you to get a prescription.

Cops in Eastern Oregon say it worked.

The number of meth labs dropped dramatically from about 100 to 10.

However, crystal meth, a purer form, is cropping up in Eastern Oregon.

The Blue Mountain Enforcement Narcotics Team says it’s being transported from Mexico on I-82 and I-84.

“Meth is one of those drugs that affect everybody. Users will do anything they can to get their addiction fixed so that's where we'll see burglaries, property crimes, cars being broken into and that type of thing,” Detective Robert Guerrero with BENT said.

Between Umatilla and Morrow County they've had 7 meth labs so far this year.

The Blue Mountain Enforcement Narcotics Team tells me the number of meth labs are starting to creep back up in places like Hermiston that are so close to the Washington border.

“The meth cooks over here will go across the border and get their limit of ephedrine. They'll go from pharmacy to pharmacy and groups of people will go in and they get their limit and bring it back across the border,” Detective Robert Guerrero said.

On top of the proximity to the border and the highways, the task force says the meth problem happening here because it's a farming community.

“The chemicals that are needed to do it are still out here and available. They haven't gone away besides the ephedrine,” Detective Guerrero said.

It hasn't gone away and that's why the task force is reaching out to schools before kids get hooked and talking to people arrested for meth to understand the trends.

The Blue Mountain Enforcement Narcotics Team made a huge bust earlier this month.

They took in 10 ounces of meth and put several suspected dealers behind bars.

The task force says they hope it sends a message to dealers and traffickers that they are being pro-active.

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