Ron Lafferty, executive director of the Barren River Drug Task Force, speaks at a meeting of the Cave City Council on Monday, May 10, 2021. Lafferty said methamphetamine seizures have increased across the region since 2019, and 2021 is on track to be a new record for the most meth seized.
(BRENNAN CRAIN/WCLU NEWS)
CAVE CITY, Ky. — The Barren River Drug Task Force projects 2021 to be a record year for the most methamphetamine seizures across the area.
Ron Lafferty, executive director, told the Cave City Council Monday that his agency has seized 1,729 grams of methamphetamine in 2021. That amount accounts for approximately $28,900 in methamphetamine value.
The DTF seized 1,754 grams in 2017, which is the current record.
“I want you to know that by getting back into the Drug Task Force, it’s paying off,” Lafferty said. “We’re working our tails off to try to protect the city of Cave City, Barren County and Allen County.”
Lafferty said methamphetamine costs have decreased, which has increased the accessibility to the illegal substance.
“It’s so much cheaper to buy the crystal then it is to buy the ingredients to make it now,” Lafferty said. “What used to cost $100 for half a gram – you can get almost an eight ball for $100 now. It’s so cheap.”
Lafferty said an “eight ball” is 1/8 ounce of methamphetamine.
Cave City accounted for 39% of the DTF’s total methamphetamine seizures across its five-county region. Each county theoretically accounts for 20% of the total seizures, but Cave City was nearly double that amount.
“We had one meth lab in the last year and a half,” Lafferty said. “Last month we’ve had three.”
Councilperson Mike Houchens sought information regarding Cave City’s high rate of methamphetamine diffusion. Rafferty said a clear answer is not available. He said the transient population promotes the high rate though.
“You have a lot of drugs coming up the interstate, and they’re all getting off on exit 53 or they’re going down the parkway and getting off at Glasgow,” Lafferty said, “one of the two.”
DTF data indicate county-wide methamphetamine seizure rates spiked in 2017, decreased in 2018 and has increased since 2019. Cave City accounted for 591.78 grams of the total methamphetamine seized in 2020.
Methamphetamine is the most diffuse illegal substance in the area, Rafferty said. Some heroin has been located in the area too.
“I think last year we had 7.5 grams of heroin, where over the last few years it’s been non-existent,” Lafferty said. “Maybe a half gram here, a half gram there. So we’re starting to see it come in.”
Several motels in the city are home to drug users, Rafferty said. The suppliers, however, do not populate those areas. Most of the methamphetamine in the area is trafficked from Mexico.
Cave City reentered an agreement with the Barren River Drug Task Force in November 2019 after a time apart.
Lafferty recommended citizens contact the DTF with information regarding drug activity. Citizens may remain anonymous.
