By Maria Hickey, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – Missouri led the nation in the number of methamphetamine labs seized last year.
The report released by a Drug Enforcement Administration office shows law enforcement busted nearly 1,300 labs in Missouri.
The Missouri Highway Patrol says that's more than twice the combined number of labs seized in Indiana and Tennessee, which are second and third on the list.
Lieutenant John Hotz says despite that the numbers have fallen sharply in the state since 2005.
That's when legislation went into effect requiring cold medicines with pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient in meth, be placed behind the counter.
"When that legislation was passed the number dropped over about a two year period by about 40 percent," Lt. Hotz said. "So the numbers have gone down substantially even though we still continue to lead the nation."
Several counties surrounding the city of St. Louis saw the most meth labs seized in Missouri.