Pubdate: Wed, 29 May 2002 Source: Huntsville Times (AL) Copyright: 2002 The Huntsville Times Contact: http://www.htimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/730 Author: David Brewer JACKSON COUNTY HOTBED FOR METH PRODUCTION Cramer Seeks Money To Help Stop Second-worst Drug Problem In State SCOTTSBORO - Except for Mobile County, more methamphetamine labs have been found in Jackson County than anywhere else in Alabama, officials said Tuesday. Because of the problem, U.S. Rep. Bud Cramer told state and local officials Tuesday in Scottsboro he's seeking federal money to help local law enforcement agencies. ''We're trying to educate Congress on the problems in rural areas,'' said Cramer, D-Huntsville. ''We have an epidemic problem.'' Chief Investigator Chuck Phillips of the Sheriff's Department said authorities found about 100 meth labs in the county last year. So far this year, he said, the department has raided 39 laboratories and arrested 37 people. ''There's no telling how many more we're not finding,'' Phillips said. The problem has become too big for the department to handle, he said. Cramer said he's pushing four bills that would help law enforcement agencies find meth labs and clean up the hazardous chemicals used to make the drug. Cleaning up such a lab requires people with special training and equipment that costs at least $5,000 for each lab, officials said. One of the bills, said Cramer, would provide money to train and equip officers to fight meth labs. The bills are in committee and Congress could act on them this year, said a Cramer spokeswoman. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens