Pubdate: Fri, 30 Dec 2005 Source: Watertown Daily Times (NY) Copyright: 2005 Watertown Daily Times Contact: http://www.wdt.net Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/792 Author: Drew Mangione, staff writer Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) DA SAYS LAW ENFORCERS WILL KEEP UP PRESSURE ON DRUG TRAFFICKERS Drug traffickers, be warned: Jefferson County law enforcement officials and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration will continue to search you out. "The federal authorities are also keeping an eye on things, and you never know who's out there assisting the effort to stem the tide," District Attorney Cindy F. Intschert said after an end-of-year press conference Thursday. Mrs. Intschert said the media event was not intended to share any new information, just to recap the year's successes and emphasize to the public that the local battle against drugs, especially methamphetamines, continues. She said her office and the U.S. attorney's office are working closely to prosecute drug crimes with the help of Watertown city police and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department through the Metro-Jefferson Drug Task Force, the state police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team and the DEA. "As 2005 winds down, we simply want to let the Jefferson County community know that local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies remain committed to working together to stem the flow of illegal drugs here in Jefferson County," the district attorney said. DEA Assistant Special Agent Matthew G. Barnes joined Mrs. Intschert, Jefferson County Sheriff John P. Burns, acting City Police Chief Capt. Otis N. Reff and state police Zone Sgt. Robert D. Allen at the press conference. "Any time law enforcement can eliminate or disrupt or dismantle or take out 20 to 30 drug traffickers, that's a significant impact to a community the size of Watertown," Mr. Barnes said. "Hopefully, the availability of drugs in Watertown and Jefferson County have been disrupted." He said methamphetamine is being produced more in super-laboratories producing 10 pounds or more in places such as Mexico, and clandestine local labs are fewer. But while lab bust may be down, the number of arrest and seizures of the drug shows it is still here. Mrs. Intschert said the multi-agency approach has been in effect since late summer and the result has been 26 arrest - 15 on state charges and 11 on federal charges - and more are pending. She noted the October arrests of James M. Mayhew Billie Joe Simmons for allegedly possessing ingredients to make meth and the ongoing investigation into an alleged meth lab in Lewis County where 150 grams of liquid meth was confiscated along with ephedrine, a key ingredient to make the drug. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin