YORK COUNTY – A new bill could help authorities track down methamphetamine labs.
The bill, which is being proposed by the Virginia Sheriff’s Association, would force pharmacies to track purchases of meth-making products through a single, state-wide database.
All pharmacies keep a log of those buying the medication. The chains have their own data base, but without one central monitoring system, it’s hard to track purchases made at other pharmacies.
"If these pharmacies all report to one centralized data base, they can block the sale,” explained Captain Troy Lyons with the York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Department. “You couldn't go from one pharmacy to another."
In December, a five-month investigation uncovered meth labs in five homes in York and James City Counties. Captain Lyons says the suspects involved in those took advantage of the system.
"These folks were hitting multiple different pharmacies in the same day which allowed them to exceed the daily federal limit," Lyons said.
The bill that will be proposed in the upcoming General Assembly would make it difficult for people to buy Pseudoephedrine in large quantities. Lyons says the general public should not be concerned about their buying habits.
"We're not interested in the citizen that has a head cold and goes and buys one or two boxes of Sudafed," added Lyons.
19 states currently have a centralized data base for Sudafed-type medications often used in making meth.
