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.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin