Pubdate: Thu, 24 Jul 2008
Source: Watertown Daily Times (NY)
Copyright: 2008 Watertown Daily Times
Contact:  http://www.wdt.net
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/792
Author: Marc Heller
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?241 (Methamphetamine - Canada)

CANADIANS FILL GAP IN METH PRODUCTION

SMUGGLING CONCERNS: Schumer Says Success Against NNY  Labs Hurt By
Growth Across Border

WASHINGTON - Production of methamphetamine may be down in Northern
New York, but it is climbing in Canada, and  dealers may be smuggling
more of the illicit drug into  the north country, U.S. Sen. Charles E.
Schumer said  Wednesday.

Mr. Schumer, D-N.Y., said methamphetamine smuggling threatens to
undercut law enforcement agencies' success  in recent years against
drug labs in rural sections of  upstate New York, primarily the north
country and the  Southern Tier. He said his office has asked the 
Canadian government, as well as the U.S. Drug  Enforcement
Administration, to boost enforcement.

Jefferson County has reported 30 lab seizures and other production
enforcement actions since 1999, the second  highest total in the
state, behind Tioga County. But  seizures have dropped off
dramatically since peaking in  2004.

The DEA says Canadian production is helping to fill the gap, Mr.
Schumer said.

"The Canadians know it's a problem, but they don't know what to do
about it," Mr. Schumer said in a conference  call with New York
reporters. Much of that country's  production is destined for other
countries, he said.

Methamphetamine use is primarily a suburban and rural problem, Mr.
Schumer said. While the New York City area  appears to receive the
drug mostly from Mexico and  California, upstate's supply has been
largely homemade  or imported from Canada.

A spokesman at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, Tristan Landry,
said the Canadian government has  increased enforcement and toughened
laws against  methamphetamine.

Among other measures, he said, the U. S. and Canada have been working
more closely to share intelligence  and training of drug enforcement
officers. And the  Canadian government in 2005 enacted regulations to 
reduce the diversion of "precursor" chemicals, such as 
pseudoephedrine, from legitimate uses to methamphetamine.

Mr. Landry said the Canadian government plans to work with Mr.
Schumer's office on the issues his office  identified, although the
Embassy was unaware of his  announcement Wednesday.

Mr. Schumer, who cosponsored legislation two years ago to make some
of the raw ingredients in methamphetamine  harder to obtain, said he
would push legislation to  more closely track sales of those items. He
also called  for hiring more DEA agents in areas near the northern 
border, diverting assets from the southern border if  necessary.

"The gains that we've made, we want to make sure are not undone," Mr.
Schumer said.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin