Missouri meth lab busts continue to climb | Crime

The number of methamphetamine labs seized in the state of Missouri continues to rise.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP), last year 2,096 meth labs were seized.  That's an increase of more than 6 percent from 2010.

From 2007 to 2011, according to the MSHP, the number of meth lab incidents in the state has increased steadily:

              Year           Lab Seizures

• 2007                 1,285
• 2008                 1,487
• 2009                 1,774
• 2010                 1,960
• 2011                 2,096

The MSHP says the increase can be attributed, in part, to meth manufacturers "circumventing laws that restrict the legal limit purchase of pseudoephedrine."  Pseudoephedrine is a key ingredient used to make meth.  Several communities throughout Your Region 8 have implemented laws prohibiting the purchase of medications containing the chemical without a prescription.