Rick Seltzer and Matthew Sefanski, Herald-Times
Monroe County was one of Indiana’s leaders in a nasty category last year — methamphetamine labs seized by law enforcement officers.
Police reported 62 clandestine meth lab incidents in Monroe County in 2013, making it home to the sixth-most meth lab seizures in the state, according to a recent Indiana State Police Report. The only counties with more meth lab seizures were Elkhart with 63, Allen with 64, Noble with 66, Delaware with 109 and Vanderburgh with 115.
Monroe County’s high ranking can be attributed to a number of factors, according to Sgt. Curt Durnil of the Indiana State Police’s Bloomington district. They include good police work, several useful information sources and partnerships between law enforcement officers, retailers and other public safety officials.
“Being ranked in the top 10 in Indiana counties in meth labs seized does say a lot as compared to other counties in this area,” Durnil wrote in an email. “I can say with great confidence that our ISP Meth Suppression Team stays extremely busy in their investigations, intelligence gathering and arrests, with most coming from Monroe County.”