Starke County Ranks 10th In State For Methamphetamine Labs

Starke County ranks 10th in the state for the number of methamphetamine labs discovered and dismantled by Indiana State Police through July.

This is the first time any county in the Indiana State Police Lowell District has made it in the top ten. Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Newton, Jasper, Pulaski and Starke Counties make up the Lowell District.

The total number of dismantled methamphetamine labs in the Lowell District was 60 in 2011, and the number of labs so far this year is 46.

You can help the State Police and the local Sheriff’s Department identify possible methamphetamine lab locations. A strong ammonia smell is a good indication that a methamphetamine lab is in production or if you see rubber tubing, ether or camp fuel cans, plastic bottles, cold medicine packages, lithium battery casings and propane tanks with a blue or green discoloration around the valve. These chemicals are highly explosive and the fumes are toxic.

Call your local police department or the Indiana State Police Drug Tip Line at 1-800-453-4756 to report any suspicious drug activity.