ROANE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- It used to be in the headlines every night, but recently, meth busts haven't been making as much news. It is still a problem, but depending on where you live will determine how much you hear about it.
Sheriff Deputies in Roane County only have one on their list this year.
Last year in the county, deputies say they had three meth lab busts. That’s down from 2006 when they say they had a bust about every 2 to 3 weeks.
With just 15,000 people in the county, Sheriff Todd Cole knows the numbers work in his favor, “Small counties, I know Calhoun County very few labs, seems like very few arrests. The bigger counties, more population, obviously you're going to have more crime.”
In Kanawha County with a population of about 192,000, so far there have been almost 20 meth lab busts this year by the Sheriff's Department. Deputies are on pace to pass last year's numbers of 32 labs. In each bust, deputies say they're seeing the same faces.
Lieutenant Bryan Stover from the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department said, “They get arrested and make bond at the jail. They're getting back and start cooking, maybe at a different location this time.”
Sheriff Cole credits the stats in Roane County to the courts, “If you make meth in this county, you're going to the penitentiary. No home confinement, no probation.”
Kanawha County Sheriff's Deputies said the meth tip hotline is helping them find more labs. They have received more than 4000 calls since 2005.
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