Pharmacy tip leads to methamphetamine arrest
A recent tip from the Columbia Hy-Vee pharmacy that
led to the arrest of two New Franklin residents proves
that tough restrictions on pseudoephedrine are working,
Howard County Prosecuting Attorney Mason Gebhardt
said.
Betty L. Linhart, 39, and James R. Price, 55, were
arrested in New Franklin on Nov. 13 after information
from pharmacies revealed they had bought illegal amounts
of medicine containing pseudoephedrine. Linhart and
Price are charged with possession of precursor ingredients
with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine, as
well as possession of meth.
Hy-Vee Manager Tom Klucking declined to comment.
For more than a year now, Missourians have been restricted
on how much medication containing pseudoephedrine
they can buy. Those purchasing pills such as Sudafed
and Dimetapp also have to provide a photo ID and sign
a logbook.
"We have dropped dramatically" in meth
labs since the laws took effect, Gebhardt said. "The
last meth lab case I handled was probably eight months
ago. Before, I'd see them once a month, if not more."
Gebhardt said the county still has its share of meth
possession, "but it's having to be shipped in.
There's not as much homegrown meth."
He said the laws make it tough for those wanting
to cook methamphetamine to get their hands on the
ingredients. And the pharmacy logbooks "give
us an idea of who may be dabbling in it," Gebhardt
said.
Law enforcement officials cross-reference pharmacy
logbooks to identify residents who might be purchasing
illegal amounts of pseudoephedrine at different stores,
said Cpl. Mike Jett of the Missouri State Highway
Patrol. Jett also is a member of the MUSTANG Drug
Task Force, which includes Boone County and Columbia
officials.
But he said meth arrests stemming from pharmacy tips
are rare.
"Typically we don't get tips from pharmacies,"
Jett said.
Law enforcement officials encourage pharmacists to
call law enforcement officials if something seems
suspicious. "Obviously, there are certain limits.
Some people have a legitimate need for pseudoephedrine,"
Jett said. "But anything above and beyond that
should at least raise some concerns or at least become
noteworthy."
Kilgore's Pharmacy calls local police when "we
feel like somebody is up to no good," owner Bob
Kilgore said. "It really is a judgment call."
To keep wannabe manufacturers from getting their
ingredients at different pharmacies, Kilgore has launched
a Web site to track sales. He hopes pharmacies from
around the state join www.methtrack.com to have easier
access to who might be trying to purchase too much
of the drug.
That type of tracking, coupled with the information
pharmacies are now collecting, make the restrictions
effective, said Jefferson City Police Lt. Robert Bucklew,
who's also involved in the MUSTANG Drug Task Force.
"You cut off the supply. That's really what's
working most," he said. "That and the intelligence
gathering."
