COVINGTON, Ky. — Is meth on the rise again in the Tri-State?
Northern Kentucky officials believe the drug is making a comeback, and they say they might know why.
“In 2014 we had 10 arrests. In 2018 we had 185 and this year we’re tracking to have more arrests than last year,” said Covington police Chief Rob Nader.
While parts of Northern Kentucky are not yet seeing a rise in meth use, they fear they could see it soon.
“Once we focus on one crime and we have all the support of the politicians and the courts, the criminals understand that, change tactics, and bring out a new product,” Nader said.
The Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force says the price of meth decreased in 2016, meaning more is available, and it’s of a higher quality. In 2017, lab submissions for drugs showed about 39% was meth. A year later it was 43%.
The way meth is made and trafficked is changing, too, says Newtown police Chief Tom Synan, who is on the Hamilton County Heroin Coalition.
Twenty years ago, it was people cooking in meth in their house. Now, Synan says, a lot of it is coming from other countries.
Last week, the Ohio State Highway Patrol seized 369 grams of meth worth about $39,269 during a traffic stop on Interstate 75 in Warren County.
