A busy two days for ISP meth team

by Ed Ernstes (ernstes@wsbt.com)

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There have been four suspected methamphetamine lab raids in the region within a two day period. The last, shown here, took place Tuesday, Dec. 30, at an apartment within 1,000 feet of Concord East Side Elementary School in Elkhart. (WSBT photo)

By WSBT News1

Story Created: Dec 30, 2008 at 6:26 PM EST

Story Updated: Jan 1, 2009 at 8:40 PM EST

It has been a busy time for a special meth suppression unit of the Indiana State Police. Between Dec. 29 and 30 they have been called to four different locations.

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The ISP Methamphetamine Suppression Unit, which deals with a region based around the Bremen State Police Post, can't remember taking down so many labs in such a short period of time.

“Hopefully this is just an odd blip, and things will settle down for a little bit,” said ISP First Sgt. Don McCay.

McCay dealt with the latest of four meth bust. Police found this one early Tuesday morning in a small Elkhart apartment next to Concord East Side Elementary.

The string of four meth lab busts in a matter of hours began Monday morning. The state police meth team was first called to one in LaPaz. Later Monday morning, another lab was found in rural Plymouth. Then, Monday afternoon, one was discovered in Warsaw.

Finally, the one found Tuesday morning near Concord East Side Elementary. It took officers most of the morning to dismantle the lab.

“…I think this is our fourth or fifth call in the last 24 hours for meth labs in the Bremen district. It’s above normal,” said McCay.

Local authorities say more labs like this are turning up around the area. Hill believes people are making their own drugs because police have put a dent in the local drug trade fronted by organized crime.

“The fact that the demand is out there, that you have people out there willing to engage in this process for their own use, and to distribute among their close knit associates — that's a problem that is not going away, and we’re really going to have to work collectively to combat that,” said Elkhart County prosecutor Curtis Hill jr.

Right now, police are not sure how long the lab in Dunlap, next to the school, has been in operation.

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