Missouri no longer U.S. “Meth Capital”

After more than a decade on top, Missouri is no longer the methamphetamine capital of the U.S.

It is now third for the amount of meth lab busts, behind Indiana and Tennessee.

Shannon Jeffries, on the Mustang Drug Task Force, said despite it’s recent decline, meth is still the number one drug law enforcement agencies see.

“Meth is a major problem not only in Missouri, but in central Missouri, in our area,” Jeffries said. “We have undercover agents purchase and seize meth every day.”

Meth lab busts are down 25 percent from 2012. Jeffries credited public awareness of meth labs as well as recent laws regarding the main ingredient in the drug.

“One of the big things is chemical restrictions like on pseudoephedrine,” Jeffries said.

But with meth production decreasing comes a whole new problem for law enforcement.

“The lower we go in the production of meth, the higher we go for the trafficking of it,” Jeffries said.

Jeffries said officers now have to focus on not only finding people who cook meth, but also those who import it.