As the harvest season and winter preparation progress, the RCMP are encouraging vigilance where anhydrous ammonia and other farm chemicals are concerned. At this very busy time of the year when farmers are getting the crop in or preparing their fields and equipment for winter, the RCMP Drug Enforcement Units are also thinking about agricultural, in particular fertilizer, and wondering if some is being diverted into the manufacturing of dangerous drugs.
According to Sergeant Mark Mathias, with the Mayerthorpe RCMP, people need to be on the lookout, but producers of methamphetamine can be hard to spot.
"It's hard to say [what to look for] because the people doing it come in all sorts of shapes and sizes," he said. "You can't just keep your eyes out for an old broken down vehicle to be suspicious, it could be a brand new pick-up that they have stolen.
"It's more a point of keeping track of your stuff, things like anhydrous ammonia, and other things that can be used in the making of meth have to be safely stored and maybe stored out of sight. The biggest thing is not to make yourself a big target or an easy target."
The RCMP states that, methamphetamine or "meth" is a powerful stimulant that is gaining popularity in Alberta and around the world. D-methamphetamine HCL, is made from ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, commonly found in diet pills, food supplements and some cold medications. They create the most potent drug ever created, crystal methamphetamine.
This new form of 'meth', was first seen in California in the early 1990s. There are dozens of recipes that can be used to make 'meth' in a simple 'lab' using common household products and apparatus. The process can use any number of hazardous chemicals in clandestine labs that can be set up virtually anywhere. The most common method currently in use in Alberta mixes chemicals such as red phosphorus and iodine, to make this highly addictive drug.
According to Doug Green, a retired Police Officer who speaks to kids and their parents about drugs, the Internet has created drug traffickers of new potentials because they give kids information that shouldn't be shared.
"The problem is it could be fatal," he said adding that the availability of androxy-amonia makes this information twice as harmful in rural settings.
"It is used in the cooking process," he explained. ' The other thing about meth is that it's a gold mine. For $30 you can make a ton of dope. For the drug dealers, you don't have to worry about smuggling it in, swallowing it, or bringing it across the border. You just have to go to Canadian Tire or Wal Mart and you get enough stuff to get at it."
For users and trafficking groups, another technique can become a much more attractive way to make 'meth'. This is known as the 'Birch Reduction' or 'Nazi' method, which uses anhydrous ammonia as a key part of the chemical reaction. In monitoring the methamphetamine trend, police are concerned that the 'Birch' method of production could be on the rise.
"The use of anhydrous ammonia in commercial or addiction based labs is a key indicator in the methamphetamine trend," says Staff Sergeant Ian Sanderson of the RCMP Drugs & Organized Crime Awareness Service, Edmonton. "There has been a world-wide shift in the production of methamphetamine. This could lead to a greater prevalence of the 'Birch' method by users, or commercial production in rural areas."
According to Green, most of us don't see the drugs in our world.
"The telltale signs are inside and not necessarily outside," added Mathias. "You can't even say that there is a lot of traffic because somebody who is smart about it wouldn't want a lot of people coming in and out.You can't truly say there is a lot of telltale signs because they would be easier for us to find."
Corporal Rick Goldstein of K Division's Chemical Diversion Program says, "Members of this program and the Clandestine Lab Enforcement and Response Team are closely monitoring any incidence of anhydrous ammonia thefts or suspicious activity in relation to the storage or sale of the product. The members of Rural Crime Watch, Ag Retailers and farmers across Alberta can play an important part in assisting police in monitoring suspicious activity and reporting thefts of anhydrous ammonia."
"A farmer knowingly supplying anhydrous ammonia for the production would be liable for the same penalties as the person who makes the drugs because they would be part of the process," said Mathias, adding that they could face a maximum sentence of ten years to life in prison if convicted.
Please report any thefts or suspicious activity involving anhydrous ammonia to local police or Crimestoppers. You do not have to give your name.
