Black Hawk County looks to put the lock on anhydrous theft
Thursday, October 5, 2000, 3:28 PM
By O.Kay Henderson
Officials in Black Hawk County are launching a new initiative to
keep a key ingredient in the illegal drug methamphetamine under
wraps. Special locks are being distributed to those who own
anhydrous ammonia tanks. Black Hawk County Deputy Sheriff Tony
Thompson says the project involves a lot of people. The locks cost
nearly 13-thousand dollars, and that tab's being paid by businesses
and private donors. The locks are being made by C-and-K
Manufacturing of Humboldt. Company spokeswoman Vivian Kitley hopes
drug makers are frustrated by the locks. Deputy Thompson says by the
end of the month, every anhydrous ammonia tank in Black Hawk County
should be locked down and inaccessible to thieves. Thompson says
that's not the end of their "War on Meth", though. His agency's
looking for some new drug-fighting tools such as night vision
devices. Black Hawk County is the first in the state to implement a
plan to put locks on ammonia tanks.
~Radio Iowa, www.radioiowa.com