In 2008, the DEA reported that the availability and demand for methamphetamine continues to increase throughout Tennessee. Much of the methamphetamine consumed in the state is transported from Mexico and the Southwest Border states.
Clandestine methamphetamine labs can be found everywhere in Tennessee, but are predominantly located in the Appalachian areas in Eastern Tennessee. These labs are encountered less and less frequently by law enforcement.The number of lab seizures has decreased significantly since legislation in 2005 was passed to restrict the availability of necessary ingredients for the processing of methamphetamine. The labs that are discovered in Tennessee are generally characterized as small and unsophisticated. These clandestine methamphetamine labs continue to pose a significant threat because lab operators are frequently armed and substantially involved in the drug’s distribution and therefore tend to place booby traps around the sites.
Southeast Tennessee has seen a significant increase in the activities of structured Mexican methamphetamine trafficking groups. These groups control much of the methamphetamine distribution in the Chattanooga area, but command and control for these Mexican organizations are frequently found in Dalton, Georgia. An increase in methamphetamine use and abuse is anticipated in Tennessee as the drug gains popularity over crack cocaine use.
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