Wasilla's Meth Problem Made Palin's Borough The Meth Capital Of Alaska

AP:

WASILLA - The Matanuska-Susitna area is the methamphetamine capital of Alaska, according to Alaska State Troopers.

In 2003, authorities uncovered nine meth labs in the area. Last year, the number increased to 42, said Kyle Young, an investigator with the troopers who works with the Mat-Su narcotics team.

Officials with the Office of Children's Services in Wasilla said the problem affects children. The office receives about 40 calls a month from people reporting abuse or neglect involving some aspect of the highly addictive drug.

In late February, the Mat-Su narcotics unit arrested a couple at their Willow home. Michelle Motta said for years she tried to warn authorities that her three young nieces lived in the midst of a methamphetamine operation run by their parents, Phillip Dean and Laura Jackson.

Alaska State Troopers reported finding a "large active meth lab" in a detached garage shop. The house was a frigid mess, with piles of dirty dishes, clothes everywhere and frozen pipes, investigators said.

Through a hatch in the shop floor, the team found an underground room with a meth lab in one corner, as well as old marijuana root balls and lights from a past pot-growing operation.

An investigator said the team didn't find the children at home but saw signs of them there. Motta said the girls - ages 14, 8 and 6 - at times slept in the garage with the lab.

Read the whole story: AP

Comments

[PolarBearZ]

01:13 PM on 09/14/2008

Crystal Meth is very much a problem in small towns and rural areas throughout North America. The risks of running crystal meth labs are very much greater in cities so the drug labs move out where enforcement and oversight is less. In Alaska, there would be a lot of places where there wouldn't be much traffic, especially law enforcement, in the outlying rural and semi-rural areas, which is pretty much ideal for manufacturing the drug without interference.

We have a similar problem in small Canadian towns too.

[TomP]

09:09 PM on 09/06/2008

Palin was mayor of Wasilla from 1996 to 2002, so she was not mayor as the drug labs increased.

However, during the years she was governor, the labs were greatly reduced!

Sorry libs, try again LOL!!!!

----------------------

Meth Lab Statistics Alaska

September 3, 2008

The DEA reported in 2008 that meth labs in Alaska have decreased by 87% over the last three years, which they attribute to the limiting of the precursor chemicals needed to make meth.

http://methlabhomes.com/2008/09/meth-lab-statistics-alaska/

[ofbbg]

08:43 PM on 09/05/2008

Wasn't it B. Hussein who was the Cocaine user? And who besides him and his wife claim he's quit?

[AnotherToerag]

07:11 PM on 09/11/2008

No, it wasn't.

You're thinking of W.

[metalpipe]

06:57 PM on 09/05/2008

Wow, I've been getting such a wonderful tutorial on the true meaning of heartland family values over the past week through the example of Governor Sarah Palin. I know realize these blessed values are characterized by things like pre-marital sex, teenage pregnancy, underage drinking and now, the rampant construction of methamphetamine labs. I've sometimes wondered why my daughter hasn't focused her energies on activities like these; strangely enough, she insists on devoting herself to schoolwork, athletics, theater and music. But now I understand why I have failed so miserably: I'm a progressive. Yet with the arrival of Governor Palin, there is now a shining moral example to lead misguided souls like myself to the light. Thank you, Lord.

[CharlesJ]

01:45 PM on 09/05/2008

Now this is something to be proud of ..she was the mayor and a city council person, and now the Govenor of the state and her home town is no the Meth Capitol of the state.
Wow what a record to run for the VP on.

[nastyvirus]

12:37 PM on 09/05/2008

I wonder if Palin herself profited from the meth trade. How else could nine meth labs exist in such a tiny area?

[CharlesJ]

01:48 PM on 09/05/2008

9 meth labs.. that was in 2003... now it is 42 in 2008. Thats called industry growth. They need to watch out.... a match lit on a calm day may blow the whole town up. Meth is a very toxic and extreemly flamable/explosive substance while in the raw liquid form.

[sws3030]

08:23 PM on 09/05/2008

I live in a rural area that is full of drugs and dealers...they exist because the family values crowd, run by people like Palin, deny the existence of big city problems in their pristine small town world-they love Jesus after all.

[feo]

11:43 AM on 09/05/2008

test

[JiminNC]

11:13 AM on 09/05/2008

Protection biz probably pays pretty good.

[SailawayJane]

10:36 AM on 09/05/2008

And this is the best McCain could do? My gawd this just keeps getting better and better. So, we shouldn't blame the former mayor for doing nothing about the meth labs in the area? Okay, but I bet Cindy can't wait to visit there.

[ceindependence]

10:36 AM on 09/05/2008

Is this part of the change that Obama brought to politics?

[timregler]

09:17 AM on 09/05/2008

Perhaps she should apply for a grant that would allow COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS to deal with the problem at the grass roots level. For that matter Ms. Palin, what role do community organizers take in helping you deal with the huge problem of fetal alcohol syndrome that your state must deal with? Perhaps you should give time some responsibilities.

[VivaZapata]

01:46 AM on 09/05/2008

Little Rock North

[jeffp26]

09:45 AM on 09/05/2008

Please don't insult Little Rock. Or "Dogtown."

[Citizen54]

12:23 AM on 09/05/2008

Is this part of the "change" that the maverick Palin brought to government?

[Relax08]

11:46 PM on 09/04/2008

drip drip drip drip. the splash is coming.

[CNBCSucks]

10:37 PM on 09/04/2008

You would need meth too if Sarah Palin were your mayor.

We are all going to need to anasthesize ourselves if McCain / Palin wins. We will be high on life for eight years if Obama / Biden wins.

http://cnbcsucks.wordpress.com