Missouri defends its national leadership in meth lab seizures—a “dubious distinction” in the Highway Patrol’s terms.  Patrol Captain Tim Hull thinks one reason Missouri tops the national list every year is because Missouri law enforcement officers work harder at catching meth-makers than officers in other states do.

AUDIO: Captain Tim Hull (:26)

The Patrol says Missouri had 1,980 “incidents’ in 2010.  Tennessee finished second with 1,197.  Kentucky had the third worst record, 1,045 busts.

Jefferson County  had 228 meth lab seizures.  Franklin County had 106 and Washington County had 103.  In Southwest Missouri, Jasper County has 93 and Greene County had 79.

Tne number of meth labs seized in Missouri in 20-10 was 53 percent more than were seized  in 2007….and about 760 more than were seized in Tennessee, the second biggest meth state last year.