Record Indiana meth lab seizures in 2010

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Indiana State Police say authorities seized nearly 1,400 methamphetamine labs in 2010 as more people making the illegal stimulant operated multiple laboratories.

The 1,395 seizures in 2010 represented a 2 percent increase over the 1,364 meth labs confiscated in 2009.

Vanderburgh County, which includes Evansville, had more seizures than any other county with 95. Two northeast Indiana counties followed: Kosciusko ranked second with 85 labs seized last year, and Noble County ranked third with 74.

The Journal Gazette of Fort Wayne reports that changes in production methods have allowed a single person to operate several labs at once, increasing the number of labs found at any given time.

One-pot meth labs accounted for 493 of the labs found last year, more than a third of the total.