Meth Labs In Kershaw County? ::

I came across this in The State last Sunday:

Kershaw County sheriff’s deputies raided a methamphetamine lab at a lake house on Lake Wateree early Sunday, arresting two men and two women.

The lab, which was contaminated by the toxic chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine, was the first uncovered in years in Kershaw County, the Sheriff’s Department said. Sheriff Jim Matthews called in a SLED unit, whose members wear protective suits and breathe through respirators, to process the scene.

“The chemicals used to produce this illegal drug are highly toxic and flammable,” Matthews said.

Kershaw deputies discovered the lab acting on an anonymous tip that people in the house were creating a disturbance, said Matthews. The lab was capable of producing two ounces of meth a day, and an ounce of meth can sell for up to $2,500, Matthews said.

Facing various methamphetamine charges are: Zachary Harkins, 24; Correy Garrison, 22; Megan Smith, 22; and Carey Rice, 24.

In the Midlands, Lexington County is known as the center of meth lab activity. That county’s deputies regularly find the clandestine labs. In Richland County, where the illegal drugs of choice mostly are cocaine and marijuana, meth lab busts are rare.

Read more: http://www.thestate.com/2011/02/06/1682603/first-meth-lab-in-years-raided.html#ixzz1DQScHPTj

My first thought was that if this is the first meth lab found in Kershaw County in years then someone probably has not been looking very closely! Now, having said that, I have to say that I have not lived in Kershaw County in decades, but given how prolific that meth labs are just about everywhere else I find it hard to believe that they are rare in Camden and Kershaw County.

Several years ago, when I lived in south Huntsville, Al., we had a new neighbor next door with suspicious visitors at all hours of the day but, more importantly, at all hours of the late night. One Friday the police blocked both ends of the street and the SWAT team went in. Sure enough, the occupants were operating a meth lab. What was really sad was that they had a very cute little girl of about 5 years old. I never heard what happened to any of them: mother, father, or daughter. Just a terribly sad situation for the daughter.

Meth labs are very common in north Alabama and they've become mobile. Not like "Breaking Bad", but people set them up in their cars and vans and produce what I presume are relatively small amounts in shopping center parking lots. Last year I pulled into the local Wal-Mart parking lot and there were police cars everywhere blocking 3 lanes. Turns out that they had found a compact car with a mobile lab in the back.

Several kids of friends of mine have had serious meth addiction problems in the past few years, but, thankfully, they seem to have overcome their addiction, but far too many people have not been so lucky.

Having posted this screed against meth I've got to say that, as a non-user, I do support the legalization, or at least the decriminalization, of possession and use of small amounts of Marijuana, but that's a topic for another day!