ENID — Oklahoma historically has led the nation in the fight against methamphetamine and its production, but law enforcement officers are seeing a resurgence of smaller and easier-to-conceal meth labs.

In 2004, Oklahoma was the first state in the nation to pass a law that limited the possession of cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient in meth labs, to 9 grams in a 30-day period. In 2006, Oklahoma was the first state to begin tracking pseudoephedrine sales electronically in real time. Three years later, the state began tracking the purchase of cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine by having purchasers present a state-issued ID and birthday.

Despite those restrictions, the state has seen an increase in “shake and bake” or “one-pot” meth labs, which use smaller quantities of pseudoephedrine.

The state already is on pace to break last year’s total number of meth labs, said Mark Woodward, spokesman for Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.

“Since Jan. 1, we’ve had 530 meth labs in the state,” he said. “And that doesn’t include August. We’re on pace for about 910 labs.”

Woodward said OBNDD gets the numbers from the three state crime labs that analyze meth labs for law enforcement agencies. Last year, the state reported 818 meth labs; the year before that, the number was 743.

He noted that in 2008, the number of labs seen in the state was a stark 213, and that’s when law enforcement began seeing the one-pot labs.

Before 2004, when the sate passed the law limiting access to over-the-counter medications containing pseudoephedrine, meth labs were rampant throughout the state.

“We were averaging about 1,300 labs and just bang, it just fell off the face of the Earth,” he said. “It stayed that way for about four and a half years.”

He said the majority of the increase in labs is in the state’s two largest metropolitan areas, Oklahoma City and Tulsa, but the problem is beginning to spread.

Locally, law enforcement officials said they, too, have seen increases in the number of meth labs they investigate.

Enid Police Department’s Sgt. Rick Tanner said the narcotics unit has seen an increase in the number of active meth labs detectives investigate.

“Last year, we did six in one year. The year before that was four,” he said. “This year, we’re already up to seven, and that’s just so far. The one-pot labs are meant to work around the pseudo laws.”

The labs can be contained within a single bottle, such as a two-liter soda bottle or Gatorade bottle, and are easy to conceal, Tanner said. The smaller labs do not produce the same strong odor older labs did, allowing meth cooks to work in places they once couldn’t.

He said about half the cases narcotics detectives work are related to meth or meth labs.

“The reason for it is because the success of the one-pot labs. That’s the only reason they’re coming up,” he said. “They can take so few pills to make a little amount of meth. Just enough to get them by.”

Tanner also said the number of meth labs in Enid can be misleading. When detectives discover a one-pot lab, often there is evidence of several of the smaller labs.

“That seven can be misleading,” Tanner said. “If we counted every bottle, we would have more than triple that.”

He said detectives also are seeing an increase in the number of older-style meth labs, called the “Nazi” cook method.

Undersheriff Jerry Niles said the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office has seen 11 labs so far this year. He too said there was an increase in the older Nazi-method labs.

“We’ve seen an increase in meth lab dump sites and Nazi cook type methamphetamine. Rural cooking and one-pot cooking is increasing in Garfield County,” he said. “I don’t know if it will reach the epidemic portions it has in eastern counties. I sure hope it doesn’t.”

Niles and Tanner said the older-style Nazi lab cooks may be the result of meth cooks arrested in the late 90s or early 2000s now being released from prison.

Another reason for the increase could be the prevalence of anhydrous ammonia in agricultural areas.

“The anhydrous thefts are up as well,” Tanner said. “People are again stealing anhydrous.”

Anyone having information that will lead to the arrest or prosecution of any crime is urged to call Crime Stoppers at (580) 233-6233. You also can text a tip from a cell phone by texting to 274637. Be sure to type “Enid” in the subject field. Tips also can be submitted via the Internet by going to www.tipsoft.com.

Tipsters can earn a reward up to $1,000 and will not be required to testify or be identified. Callers also may contact the Enid Police Department with information at 242-7000 or Garfield County Sheriff’s Office at (580) 237-0244.