“Yes, there is drug manufacturing on Kaua’i,” says Sgt. Michael Gordon of the Vice Section of the Kaua’i Police Department.
He is speaking of crystal methamphetamine, street name “ice,” which continues to be a huge problem that has led to other crimes on the island as addicts steal to support their habits.
“It’s on the island. It’s out of control right now,” said KPD Sgt. Joe Adric, adding that a majority of criminals caught breaking into homes, businesses and vehicles are doing so to feed their drug addictions.
Those who aren’t caught are also driven to property crime largely to support drug habits, Adric said.
The KPD has apprehended one person who had what is known as a “box lab” in the back of his car. A box lab is used to turn the powder form of methamphetamine into a crystal form, using chemicals easy to obtain at stores on Kaua’i, Gordon said.
But the island’s rural nature, with homes spread far apart in many neighborhoods and dense vegetation obscuring homes from roadways, has made it hard for officers to detect full-blown residential drug labs where the actual manufacturing of methamphetamine is suspected to be taking place, both officers said.
Both men also said the KPD sometimes gets tips about drug labs operational on the island, and investigates them all.
Usually, it is the smell of a full-blown drug lab that gives the location away, said Gordon, adding that a strong smell similar to that of nail-polish remover (acetone) is one giveaway.
If residents know that a surfboard shop or beauty salon is not in their neighborhood, and they get a whiff of a strong scent of acetone coming from a neighbor’s home, that’s probably a good indication that illegal drug-manufacturing activity might be occurring there, Gordon said.
Always investigated are any reports to the KPD of noxious odors, especially in neighborhoods where it is unusual for such odors to be present, Gordon said.
Members of the KPD, along with firefighters, emergency medical technicians and interested members of the public, recently received training on how to respond with caution when called to premises where the flammable and combustible chemicals combined to make methamphetamine are suspected present.
KPD encourages continued public vigilance and awareness around homes and businesses, and takes every opportunity to inform the public about clues that indicate a drug lab may be operating in a neighborhood, Gordon said.
KPD appreciates any assistance it receives from the general public, he added.
Adric, speaking before around 20 members of the Lihu’e Business Association Tuesday morning at Fenton Lee’s Hawaiian Classic Desserts restaurant, said thieves seeking to acquire cash or goods that can be quickly turned into cash will go into cars for car stereos, and into homes and businesses for cash, jewelry, and other items that can be quickly sold for cash used to buy more drugs.
Staff Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).
