Meth labs increasing in North Carolina

February 22, 2013 (Press-News.org) Meth labs increasing in North Carolina

Article provided by Gottholm, Welborn & Benton, PLLC
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Methamphetamine production is a problem that has led to increased arrests for drug crimes in many states across the country. Law enforcement agencies aggressively target manufacturers of the drug, because it is so addictive and causes so many problems in communities. State legislators pass laws making it more difficult to have access to the materials needed to produce meth, but it has not seemed to had as much of an effect as intended.

This is especially true in North Carolina. According to arrest data supplied by the State Bureau of Investigation, the number of meth lab busts has almost doubled since 2010. The agency is concerned with the number of labs in homes where children are present. In 2012, the state removed 120 children from homes where meth lab busts occurred.

The rise in arrests for these drug crimes is mainly due to the increase in individuals having small "one-time only" or "shake and bake" labs that make small amounts of the drug. These types of labs accounted for 73 percent of meth lab arrests, up nearly 25 percent from 2011. This happened despite the state issuing rules that cracked down on one of the main ingredients in meth, pseudoephedrine.

This ingredient is often found in many cold medications. The state had made access to these materials more difficult as far back as 2005, but has begun tracking purchases of certain goods to determine if they were being used to manufacture drugs.

Recently, there has been a proposal to increase the potential penalties associated meth-related drug crimes. If individuals with prior meth-manufacturing convictions are found in possession of pseudoephedrine, they could be charged with a felony. Additionally, if meth is being manufactured in a home where children are present, it may lead to an increase of up to four years for any sentence handed down. These changes have been recommended after the state conducted a study on slowing the spread of the drug.

If you have been charged with manufacturing or distribution of meth or any other drug crime, you need to know that these accusations are serious. Drug investigations are often very expensive and time-consuming, and law enforcement agencies are committed to making arrests in these cases.

Those that are arrested for crimes need to know that they have rights. Talking to the police can only make your situation worse. Anything that you say can be used by prosecutors to try to obtain a conviction. Speak to an experienced criminal defense attorney to understand what you can do to best protect yourself. These cases can carry significant penalties, which will only increase if you are convicted of later crimes.