Two years ago, Oregon enacted the toughest anti-methamphetamine laws in the country, resulting in the near elimination of local meth labs and meth toxic waste dumps. The supply of meth on Portland, Ore. streets, however, is greater than ever, because of the influx of meth from Mexican drug cartels, The WestLinn (Ore.) Tidings reported on Nov. 29.

"In the last year and a half, we've seized more meth than we ever have," said Police Sgt. Ned Walls of Multnomah County Special Investigations Unit. "The quantity of (meth) has gone up significantly."

Oregon's legislative changes have unwittingly transformed the underground meth economy, and in some ways is making it more difficult for law enforcement. The good news is that the number of meth labs discovered by law enforcement officials has plummeted from 584 in 2001 to 14 so far this year. In neighboring Washington state, they have discovered 199 this year.

However, local meth manufacturers have been relatively easy to find and arrest. "They are just total morons," says sheriff's deputy Tim Wonacott of Multnomah County's Special Investigations Unit. "They'll do stupid stuff, and they'll do it all day long."

The Mexican drug cartels are smarter and operate in a more businesslike fashion. While not wanting to return to the days of local meth labs, where children were often found neglected, most enforcement officers believe the removal of local competitors to the cartel has increased the supply of meth, says Sgt. Pat Walsh of the Portland Police Bureau's Drugs and Vice Division.

Despite some success in arresting members of the cartel distribution ring, meth has continued to flow unabated. Low-level dealers arrested in Portland will not turn on their higher-ups in Mexico, for fear that their families will be harmed.