SEMO Drug Task Force sees rise in meth, hydrocodone, Xanax seizures

The SEMO Drug Task force seized significantly larger amounts of methamphetamine, hydrocodone and Xanax in 2016 than in 2015.

The task force consists of 15 law-enforcement officers from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Cape Girardeau Police Department, Sikeston Department of Public Safety, Perry County Sheriff’s Office, Stoddard County Sheriff’s Office and New Madrid County Sheriff’s Office.

The task force conducts operations in 12 counties in Southeast Missouri, with many of the investigations in Cape Girardeau County (136), Butler County (127), Wayne County (98) and Dunklin County (78).

Much of the task force’s work derives from undercover operations, SEMO Drug Task Force director Mark McClendon said.

Those operations produced 84 search warrants, 93 consent searches and 307 arrests.

All of those figures were down slightly from 2015, but McClendon said the difference is minor.

Crystal methamphetamine continues to be prominent in Southeast Missouri.

The task force seized 8,043 grams of crystal methamphetamine in 2016, up from 3,900 grams in 2015.

The task force also seized 143 grams of homemade powder methamphetamine, up from 44 grams in 2015. McClendon said the large increase in crystal methamphetamine comes from interdiction busts on highways, where multiple pounds of the drug are seized.

Most of the task force’s trafficking arrests, 43 of 74 arrests total, and possession arrests, 184 of 234 total, were related to methamphetamine.

“Crystal meth is in every little town,” McClendon said. “It’s just the primary drug of choice.”

The total amount of marijuana seized surpassed methamphetamine, with 6,405 grams of high-grade marijuana and 5,552 grams of commercial-grade marijuana seized.

But the amount of high-grade and commercial-grade marijuana seized decreased from 2015, down from 6,887 grams and 7,922 grams respectively.

McClendon said there continues to be a steady flow of high-grade marijuana into the area, especially coming east on Interstate 70. Commercial grade has become less common, as high-grade marijuana has become more accessible from states that allow the legal sale of the drug, McClendon said.

“High-grade marijuana is here to stay,” McClendon said.

Indoor marijuana plants seized also went up from 2015, from 10 to 248.

Marijuana accounted for a much smaller percentage of task force’s arrests, 19 arrests for possession and five arrests for trafficking.

The amount of hydrocodone and Xanax seized increased from 2015.

Hydrocodone, the most common opioid painkiller, went from 487 grams seized in 2015 to 773 grams seized in 2016.

Xanax went from 408 grams in 2015 to 1,337 grams in 2016.

McClendon said more often than not, drugs are seized in combination with each other, with offenders sometimes holding methamphetamine, marijuana and illegal pills at the same time.

Other prescription drugs seized decreased from 3,813 grams in 2015 to 1,375 grams in 2016. The task force made 12 possession arrests and 19 trafficking arrests on pharmaceuticals.

The amount of heroin seized fell sharply, from 1,023 grams in 2015 to 52 grams in 2016.

McClendon said that difference was from one large, intercepted shipment on the highway in 2015.

Heroin use in the United States tripled from 2003 to 2014, according to a World Drug Report from the United Nations.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

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SEMO Drug Task Force arrests and seizures

- 2016 2015

Arrests 307 320

Search arrests 84 91

Consent searches 93 102

Meth possession arrests 184 107

Meth trafficking arrests 43 19

Marijuana possession arrests 19 88

Marijuana trafficking arrests 5 21

Pharmaceutical possession arrests 12 23

Pharmaceutical trafficking arrests 19 3

Crack cocaine seized 0 118

Heroin 53 1,023

Hydrocodone 773 487

Crystal meth 8,048 3,900

Powder meth 143 44

K2 914 812

LSD 17 7

High-grade marijuana 6,405 6,887

Commercial-grade marijuana 5,552 7,922

Outdoor marijuana plants 31 148

Indoor marijuana plants 248 10

MDMA/Ecstasy 58 11

Mushrooms 83 0

Oxycodone 42 31

Xanax 1,337 408

Note: Seizure quantities all are measured by grams.

Investigations by county 2016: Bollinger, 1; Butler, 127; Cape Girardeau, 136; Dunklin, 78; Mississippi, 0; New Madrid, 48; Pemiscot, 16; Perry, 31; Ripley, 7; Scott, 31; Stoddard, 63; Wayne, 96.