Cracking Down on Meth Labs

North Carolina Law Enforcement officials plan to crack down on methamphetamine labs in 2012. Jeff Tiberii has more.

Jeff Tiberii: Last year there were 331 illegal methamphetamine lab busts in North Carolina, an all-time high. The main ingredient in the drug is pseudoephedrine, which is found in Sudafed. Beginning this week all retailers will be hooked into a tracking system tracing pseudoephedrine purchases. North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper:

Roy Cooper: So if someone tries to go from store to store, to buy ephedrine this system will detect it and we will be able to go after this people who are making this very dangerous drug, sometimes, right in our communities.

Seven years ago laws were passed moving Sudafed from the shelf to the pharmacy and requiring customers to show I.D. when purchasing. Meth labs are found each year in houses and cars. Making the drug can cause explosions and dangerous gases.