"They're going to the places with the least resistance," said Indiana pharmacist Dan Beyer, who works near the border with Ohio, which unlike Indiana has not passed a law limiting sales of drugs containing pseudoephedrine. "If we're going to do all this work and all they have to do is cross a river, we've accomplished absolutely nothing."

Thirteen states have no laws limiting sales of drugs containing pseudoephedrine, which can be used to make methamphetamine. Even among states that do have such laws, restrictions vary widely. As a result, meth makers have been crossing state lines to get the supplies needed to fuel their clandestine labs.

"What we're beginning to see is people traveling great distances to get pseudoephedrine," said Jack Riley, a DEA agent in St. Louis.

Congress is now considering a national bill that would limit sales of pseudoephedrine drugs. A House-Senate conference committee will soon meet to discuss the measure.

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