Pubdate: Tue, 07 Nov 2000 Source: Topeka Capital-Journal (KS) Copyright: 2000 The Topeka Capital-Journal Contact: 616 S.E. Jefferson, Topeka, Kansas 66607 Website: http://cjonline.com/ Author: Kevin Bates STATE METH PRODUCTION CONTINUES RAPID RISE With fewer than two months left in the year, Kansas already has shattered last year's record number of seized methamphetamine laboratories. And authorities expect the numbers to continue to rise. "It just keeps going up and up," said Scott Teeselink, agent with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. "And these are just the ones we know about, the ones we hear about before they're gone. Who knows how many there really are out there." As of Friday, 550 clandestine meth labs had been seized by law enforcement officers throughout the state, according to statistics released Monday by the KBI. The total -- nearly two per day -- easily topped last year's mark of 511, and Teeselink said this year's sum should quickly top 600. The new numbers were revealed Monday at a news conference conducted at the Shawnee Regional Prevention and Recovery Services office in Topeka, where officials discussed some of the consequences of methamphetamine production and usage and presented a plan to assist in the fight against the drug. Because Kansas ranks third in meth production, behind California and Missouri, those at the prevention and recovery services agency decided to develop a program to educate specific groups about the widespread problem of meth. "It's becoming a bigger and bigger problem in Kansas," said Maren Santelli, a prevention and intervention specialist, who listed several target audiences for the presentation. Those who would benefit from meth lessons include retailers, rural dwellers and youth, she said. Lynn Mead, a district loss prevention officer for Wal-Mart, said stores in Kansas began reducing in October 1996 the number of products related to meth production that a customer could buy at one time. Instead of purchasing up to six boxes of ephedrine tablets -- one of the main ingredients in meth -- customers now can buy only three at once. Other topics are planned, such as how to help educate rural farm residents who own anhydrous ammonia tanks. Because anhydrous ammonia, a toxic chemical normally used as fertilizer, is also used to produce meth, many instances of theft from ammonia tanks have been reported. The personal cost of meth use also was discussed Monday. Sharon Siliceo, a Topeka Correctional Facility inmate, shared her downward spiral into addiction and told how she nearly threw her life away because of meth. "Today I can honestly say I am glad to be in prison, because if I was still out there, who knows what could have happened," said Siliceo, who is serving a 22-month sentence for possession with intent to sell meth. The program will be funded for one year by a federal grant. And because fighting meth labs also is expensive -- each lab cleanup costs about $3,500 -- authorities said they were pleased to announce that the KBI will receive a $2 million federal grant for more personnel and equipment. The money will be used to: Hire seven additional KBI narcotics agents. Hire five additional KBI forensic chemists. Remodel the KBI forensic lab in Great Bend. Provide training and safety equipment to statewide law enforcement. Purchase a new meth lab response vehicle. Update instruments used in meth lab investigations. Expand drug evidence storage space at headquarters in Topeka. - --- MAP posted-by: Don Beck