KBI Says Number of Meth Labs on the Rise

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation says the number of clandestine meth labs in the state increased dramatically between 2010 and 2011. The KBI says the number of meth lab reports increased from 143 in 2010 to 204 last year. Kansas law enforcement reported 24 meth lab incidents in the first three months of this year. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that Cherokee and Montgomery counties lead the state in reports this year with six and five incidents, respectively. Experts say the number of methamphetamine labs has risen across the nation. They attribute the increase to the popularity of methods that require less equipment and pseudoephedrine to produce the drug. Kansas ranked 14th in the country in meth lab reports in 2011.