Jun 25, 2008 5:26 pm US/Central
Meth Drug Ring Busted In Indiana
Investigators Raid Indiana Towns To Break Up A Ring Of Meth Labs That Stretch Across State Lines
CROWN POINT, Ind. (CBS) ―
Investigators bust a drug ring that operated in several Indiana towns, and even stretched out of state.
Yesterday, four homes in Kouts, one in Hebron, and one in Valparaiso were raided. Police arrested suspects from as far away as Denver and St. Louis.
CBS 2's Northwest Indiana Bureau Chief Pamela Jones reports that it is the result of a 17-month investigation.
Neighbors say the signs of trouble have been clear at this house in Kouts, Ind. for a long time.
"There was an explosion there probably five years ago or so, and I heard the explosion but I didn't know what was happening," said neighbor Ivan Wengerd.
This is just one of six locations in the area raided by local and federal authorities whose goal it was to break up a ring of meth labs here - but the probe crossed state lines.
"We've got connections to the St. Louis, Miss. area and connections to the Denver, Col. area," said Interim U.S. Attorney David Capp.
Investigators confiscated drug paraphernalia, allergy medicines and other household items used to make meth. So far, they've put 33 suspects behind bars.
Police are still looking for five other suspects, but they're confident those arrests will come soon.
Officers say clues from area residents have been a key factor in their success.
"There was a lot of production, lot of sales, a lot of use, that to a neighbor down the road they would see a lot of suspicious activity, but they wouldn't know exactly what was going on," said Sheriff David Lain, Porter County Sheriff's Department. "They knew something was wrong."
That something included "curbside service" on this rural road.
"People would drive up and stop there and it was gated so they couldn't drive in," Wengerd said.
The suspects under arrest will appear at a detention hearing at the federal courthouse in Hammond tomorrow.
Most of the suspects face charges for making and selling meth. Some will also face charges for selling pot.
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