Contributed photo/Nate BodenstabHOULTON — The speaker for the Houlton Rotary Club on Monday July 25, 2016 was Peter Arno, Division 2 Commander for the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency. Arno was the guest of Rotarian Roger Sherman.
Arno retired from the Bangor Police Department after 25 years of service and now he is in charge of the northern part of Maine though he has offices in Augusta, Bangor, Houlton and Ellsworth. He took over Darrell Crandall’s job when Crandall became the Sheriff in Houlton.
Arno has identified the two main threats facing Maine, the first being methamphetamine labs using the popular “Shake and Bake” or “One Pot” method and the second being opiate abuse.
Meth labs are typically producing for personal use but the producers often will sell to generate cash. The ingredients for meth start with Sudafed and include Coleman fuel and the strips from lithium batteries. All ingredients can be found at hardware and drug stores, except for the main ingredient Sudafed that is not sold over the counter. This is an attempt to slow production.
There were 57 meth labs busted last year and this year the number has already topped 90. Clean-ups are costly at a minimum of $4,000. The majority of the labs have been here in The County.
Opiate addiction overwhelmingly starts with people using painkillers. Later these people turn to heroin. Heroin use brings its own set of problems such as gang activity that is motivated by profit. In Aroostook County a bag of heroin will cost $5 and yet if it is taken outside the County this can be sold for over $500. Four out of five people arrested for heroin addiction have begun their use from prescription painkillers.
Arno said he feels there is a need for more education. Arresting and treating users is one thing but education is a better use of resources.
