Published: April 09, 2008 08:24 pm      

Va. police: Flavored meth found

Are drug dealers luring youths into addiction?

WYTHEVILLE, Va. — The discovery of strawberry-flavored methamphetamine in Southwest Virginia has prompted officials to issue a precautionary warning to area parents.

The strawberry-flavored methamphetamine was seized in the Galax area, Sgt. Michael Conroy, of the Virginia State Police Fourth District Area Headquarters in Wytheville, said.

Conroy said police do not believe drug dealers are targeting any kids or schools with the flavored narcotic, but decided to issue a warning to parents out of an abundance of caution. Conroy said the strawberry-flavored methamphetamine is similar to candy-flavored cocaine discovered in other parts of the nation.

“A couple of years ago, this was kind of an urban legend,” Conroy said. “We were not really for sure. Now we’ve seen it, and seen it cross into another drug. That is why it is a concern. We don’t want to alarm parents. We just want to make them aware. Drug dealers don’t care who they distribute to. That’s our concern.”

Conroy said officials fear the candy-flavored cocaine seized by officials in Modesto, Calif., is an attempt by drug dealers to lure new, younger customers, to drug addiction. Conroy said officials don’t know if the methamphetamine is being flavored with a strawberry taste for a similar reason or not.

“We are not really for sure,” Conroy said. “According to our drug guys, we really don’t know if it is some kind of masking agent intended to throw off the drug dogs when they import it, or if it is something to make it less bitter. Obviously, because we don’t know, there is a concern.”

Conroy said candy-flavored cocaine hasn’t been located in Southwest Virginia.

“Like I said, we have not received any reports of it being distributed to kids, or schools being targeted,” Conroy said. “We don’t want to alarm parents. We just want to make them aware. We have seen no evidence that in no way it has carried over to the schools or kids. But certainly, it is a concern.”

The cocaine discovered in California was flavored in strawberry, lemon, coconut and cinnamon. The methamphetamine seized in the Galax area was only flavored in strawberry.

— Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com