PHOENIX TOP SOURCE FOR METH EXPLOSION

Seizures, Arrests Triple In Year

Methamphetamine production and distribution is exploding in Maricopa
County, making Phoenix one of the top three source cities nationally for
the drug, according to state and federal law agencies.

"Whenever you talk about methamphetamine in the U.S. you have to talk about
Los Angeles, San Diego and Phoenix," said Matt Heffron, chief of the
narcotics unit in the Phoenix U.S. Attorney's Office.

In the past year, officials have seen a rise in seizures of
methamphetamine, related arrests and the closure of clandestine drug labs
locally, according to the Phoenix office of the Drug Enforcement Agency.

Authorities have broken up 30 meth labs since Oct. 1, most of them in
Maricopa County, said Thomas Raffanello, special agent in charge of the
Phoenix DEA office. "We're on a pace to go over 200 this year."

A closer look at the numbers shows the escalation: 51 meth labs were closed
in the state from Oct. 1 1995 to Oct. 1, 1996, the DEA's fiscal year.
During the same period 19961997, the number increased to 136 labs busted.

Meanwhile, methamphetamine seizures by the state task force more than
tripled to 538 pounds from 143 pounds, while the number of meth arrests
more than doubled to 496 from 227.

Officials say Arizona's production is still dwarfed by California's and
Mexico's, but note that Arizona has become a critical link in the
trafficking pipeline.

"The really large, bulk quantities of 40 to 50 pounds are produced
primarily by Mexican manufacturers in the LA area or produced in Mexico"
and brought to Arizona for warehousing and transfer elsewhere, Heffron said.

"It's the poor man's cocaine," said Steve Werner, a captain with the
Maricopa County Sheriffs Office who heads a statewide antimeth task force.

"It's an Amway or Avon among drugs. (Every) cook making a couple of pounds
a week has a little customer base and he sells to a dozen people," he said.

A highly addictive stimulant, methamphetamine can push a user into a
psychotic or violent frenzy. Police and sheriffs offices report crimes
related to methamphetamine use, from child abuse to murder, have increased
with growing use.

Where the typical methamphetamine user was formerly described as a young,
white male, investigators and drug abuse centers are now seeing all races,
ages and social classes.

Barbara Zugor, director of the Treatment Assessment Screening Center in
Phoenix, said that a third of the clients who attend the drug diversion
program there report a problem with methamphetamine addiction.

"We see it a lot in the workplace. It's a cheap, quick high," she said.
"There's a lot of people from all walks of life who've really screwed up
their lives with it."