To assist local, state and federal law enforcement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office developed the Methamphetamine Drug Demand Reduction Initiative “ICE AGE”. The Initiative promotes information sharing through meetings, training sessions and quarterly newsletters that identify new trends and patterns that related to the methamphetamine problem. The end result is to work collectively with local state and federal agencies to combat methamphetamine.

According to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, clandestine methamphetamine labs cost the State of Indiana $100 million annually. This amount of money has a grave impact on resources available to handle the problem. Clandestine methamphetamine lab seizures peaked in 2004 with 1549 labs seized by Indiana State Police and other agencies. In 2005, meth lab seizures began to decrease due to a pseudoephedrine purchasing restriction law that was passed July 1, 2005. Thanks to the passing of the law, meth produced in local clandestine labs has decreased, however importation of meth from other sources has increased to make up for the demand. Methamphetamine is a problem that will not be going away anytime soon. For that reason the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana is committed to fighting this problem through education/outreach initiatives and law enforcement training/information sharing.

The ICE AGE title is appropriate since it is a street name for crystal methamphetamine and also one may use the analogy that the original Ice Age was responsible for destroying all life in prehistoric time just as the modern ICE AGE has the same potential threat to destroy human life and have a significant negative impact on society.

Click here for information on various narcotics targeted under this initiative.

Click here for information on the Indiana State Police Methamphetamine Hotline.

Click here for information on the DEA's Just Think Twice Campaign.