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STATE METH TEAM REPORTS BUSY FIRST YEAR IN ACTION

SPRINGFIELD -- Six Illinois State Police response teams had a busy first year combating the spread of methamphetamine labs statewide, state officials said today.

The teams of troopers handled 750 meth-related incidents in their first year of operation, made more than 650 arrests and seized nearly 213,000 grams of meth and materials used to make the drug, Gov.  Rod Blagojevich's office said in a news release.

The teams were formed in May 2005 in six cities around the state to help local authorities deal with a skyrocketing number of meth cases, with meth arrests by task forces and city enforcement groups more than doubling from 2000 to 2004.

More than half of the 750 cases were referred to the teams by local law enforcement or other State Police investigative units, and many of the arrests involved purchasing of materials needed to produce meth, officials said.

They are designed to seize and dismantle meth labs, investigate meth manufacturers and raise awareness and education about the dangers of meth by making presentations to schools and community groups.

"We're taking a very serious approach to the significant issues associated with this devastating drug," State Police Director Larry Trent said in a statement.  "Law enforcement remains committed to this effort and my agency will dedicate every resource necessary to combat this dangerous drug."