The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office, along with heads of local police departments and the District Attorney held a press conference on Tuesday regarding the Combine Anti-Drug Team Narcotics Task Force's activities over 2009.
Of the 1,306 complaints received or investigated by the Combined Anti-Drug Team Narcotics Task Force (CAT) during 2009, 130 were within the city limits of Sulphur, well behind the parish leader, Lake Charles.
Lake Charles received 842 complaints, while some of the unincorporated areas of the parish received 140, Westlake had 42, Vinton had 29, DeQuincy had 19, Iowa had 16, Moss Bluff had 14, Starks had 5, and both Hayes and Mossville had 4 during 2009.
One of the biggest problems in the parish, said Lake Charles Police Chief Don Dixon, is a new form of meth lab that makes it easier for drug dealers and addicts to create the substance.
Twenty-one meth labs were raided and shut down over the course of 2009, according to the statistics released.
"In 2008 we did not bust any meth labs in Calcasieu Parish. In 2009, we had 21, which is a huge problem. So far this year (2010) we've had four that we've recovered," Dixon said.
The State had enacted legislation making it tough for meth lab creators to get the materials to create methamphetamine, Dixon said, which he says led to a reduction in meth labs so far.
However, a new form of meth lab, called a 'shake and bake' (also known as a 'one pot' method) operation, significantly cuts down on the amount of harder to get materials in a meth lab.
"As a result of this new method, they don't need red phosphorus and anhydrous ammonia, which was some of the ingredients they needed before. This new method can be very volatile," Dixon said.
"It's a very big concern of ours that we went from zero in 2008 to 21 last year, and four already this year," he added.
Dixon also said that the amount of crack cocaine recovered in the parish was down from 2008. However, he said that the amount of cocaine hydrochloride (powdered cocaine), which can be used to create crack cocaine as well as it's own drug use, had increased.
The CAT team also partnered with the Houston Police Department drug diversion division and the Harris County District Attorney's Office to successfully shut down and arrest people involved in an illegal pain management clinic, according to Calcasieu Parish District Attorney John DeRosier.
"It resulted in several arrests, including the apprehension of a physician who was prescribing these drugs, all of which are controlled substances under Texas, Louisiana and federal law," DeRosier said.
DeRosier said this is only the first of many, as his office has been working to reinforce the importance getting a handle on prescription drug abuse in east Texas.
The CAT Team either purchased or seized a large number of prescription drugs, including over 4,000 tabs of hydrocodone, almost 2,000 Xanax pills, almost 300 Soma pills and 57 ounces of Codeine, along with the over 2,300 tabs of the designer drug Ecstasy, according to the statistics released.
"We still have more legislation to pass; I anticipate the passage in the next legislative session in Texas of a doctor shopping statute that will mimic the Louisiana statute. It should severely cripple the pain management industry in Southeast Texas," DeRosier said.
The District Attorney praised local law enforcement for their diligence in rooting out prescription drug abuse.
"In 2006 and 2007, we lost 68 and then 65 individuals to death by overdose, mostly of prescription medication. In 2008 that number dropped to 32, and in 2009 that number dropped to 25. We're seeing success as a result of the law enforcement efforts in Calcasieu Parish," DeRosier said.
The CAT Team either purchased or seized a large number of prescription drugs, including over 4,000 tabs of hydrocodone, almost 2,000 XENIX pills, almost 300 Soma pills and 57 ounces of Codeine along with the over 2,300 tabs of the designer drug Ecstasy, according to the statistics released.
Mancuso lauded the CAT team's work, acknowledging the difficulties that drug investigators go through during the year.
"I say this a lot during press releases, you know, we've got to play by the rules. You can't just go up to somebody and say 'Hey, we heard you're doing drugs, and we're arresting you,'" Mancuso said.
"We have to do the investigation and sometimes they fall into place very easily, and sometimes they take months and months to accumulate information before we can make an arrest."
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The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office, along with heads of local police departments and the District Attorney held a press conference on Tuesday regarding the Combine Anti-Drug Team Narcotics Task Force's activities over 2009.
Of the 1,306 complaints received or investigated by the Combined Anti-Drug Team Narcotics Task Force (CAT) during 2009, 130 were within the city limits of Sulphur, well behind the parish leader, Lake Charles.
Lake Charles received 842 complaints, while some of the unincorporated areas of the parish received 140, Westlake had 42, Vinton had 29, DeQuincy had 19, Iowa had 16, Moss Bluff had 14, Starks had 5, and both Hayes and Mossville had 4 during 2009.
One of the biggest problems in the parish, said Lake Charles Police Chief Don Dixon, is a new form of meth lab that makes it easier for drug dealers and addicts to create the substance.
Twenty-one meth labs were raided and shut down over the course of 2009, according to the statistics released.
"In 2008 we did not bust any meth labs in Calcasieu Parish. In 2009, we had 21, which is a huge problem. So far this year (2010) we've had four that we've recovered," Dixon said.
The State had enacted legislation making it tough for meth lab creators to get the materials to create methamphetamine, Dixon said, which he says led to a reduction in meth labs so far.
However, a new form of meth lab, called a 'shake and bake' (also known as a 'one pot' method) operation, significantly cuts down on the amount of harder to get materials in a meth lab.
"As a result of this new method, they don't need red phosphorus and anhydrous ammonia, which was some of the ingredients they needed before. This new method can be very volatile," Dixon said.
"It's a very big concern of ours that we went from zero in 2008 to 21 last year, and four already this year," he added.
Dixon also said that the amount of crack cocaine recovered in the parish was down from 2008. However, he said that the amount of cocaine hydrochloride (powdered cocaine), which can be used to create crack cocaine as well as it's own drug use, had increased.
The CAT team also partnered with the Houston Police Department drug diversion division and the Harris County District Attorney's Office to successfully shut down and arrest people involved in an illegal pain management clinic, according to Calcasieu Parish District Attorney John DeRosier.
"It resulted in several arrests, including the apprehension of a physician who was prescribing these drugs, all of which are controlled substances under Texas, Louisiana and federal law," DeRosier said.
DeRosier said this is only the first of many, as his office has been working to reinforce the importance getting a handle on prescription drug abuse in east Texas.
The CAT Team either purchased or seized a large number of prescription drugs, including over 4,000 tabs of hydrocodone, almost 2,000 Xanax pills, almost 300 Soma pills and 57 ounces of Codeine, along with the over 2,300 tabs of the designer drug Ecstasy, according to the statistics released.
"We still have more legislation to pass; I anticipate the passage in the next legislative session in Texas of a doctor shopping statute that will mimic the Louisiana statute. It should severely cripple the pain management industry in Southeast Texas," DeRosier said.
The District Attorney praised local law enforcement for their diligence in rooting out prescription drug abuse.
"In 2006 and 2007, we lost 68 and then 65 individuals to death by overdose, mostly of prescription medication. In 2008 that number dropped to 32, and in 2009 that number dropped to 25. We're seeing success as a result of the law enforcement efforts in Calcasieu Parish," DeRosier said.
The CAT Team either purchased or seized a large number of prescription drugs, including over 4,000 tabs of hydrocodone, almost 2,000 XENIX pills, almost 300 Soma pills and 57 ounces of Codeine along with the over 2,300 tabs of the designer drug Ecstasy, according to the statistics released.
Mancuso lauded the CAT team's work, acknowledging the difficulties that drug investigators go through during the year.
"I say this a lot during press releases, you know, we've got to play by the rules. You can't just go up to somebody and say 'Hey, we heard you're doing drugs, and we're arresting you,'" Mancuso said.
"We have to do the investigation and sometimes they fall into place very easily, and sometimes they take months and months to accumulate information before we can make an arrest."
