Warren County’s methamphetamine manufacturers are taking advantage of lax control of the drugs key ingredient in bordering states, Sheriff Martin Pace said following five meth arrests in little more than a week.

“In most cases, the pseudoephedrine is being purchased out of state in bordering states such as Louisiana or Arkansas that do not restrict the sale to prescription only,” Pace said.

Pseudoephedrine, a decongestant available in Mississippi by prescription only, is the key ingredient in making meth and is still readily available for over-the-counter or limited behind-the-counter purchase in most states. Only Oregon and Mississippi require a prescription for the drug.

Pace said the tougher regulations that took pseudoephedrine off the shelves of convenience stores, gas stations and trucks stops have dramatically cut back the number of meth cooking operations in the county.

“Since pseudoephedrine became prescription only we have seen somewhere in the range of a 90 percent reduction in the local meth labs,” Pace said.

In the past week, deputies have arrested five people accused of manufacturing meth. Pace said the number of arrests is a statistical anomaly .

“I don’t know that we’re seeing a big resurgence,” Pace said. “We’ve seen three cooks in a little over a week which is unusual since pseudoephedrine became prescription only.”

Kimberly Whitehead, 40, 75 Bovina Drive, and Randall Shane Hulett, 38, 3855 U.S. 80, were the first arrested in recent round-up of meth cooks. The couple was arrested Oct. 5 at Whitehead’s home where deputies saw them take items used to make meth into an outbuilding, Pace said.

On Wednesday, Brandi Powers, 32, 4407 Halls Ferry Road, Lot 53 and Michael Curtis, 48, 202 Sandy Lane, were arrested with an active “shake and bake” style meth lab in their car, Pace said.

“It is the crudest of all of the methods but it is the method most commonly seen for the amateur meth cook,” Pace said.

When not handled properly, a shake and bake cook can explode, spewing flaming shrapnel and noxious fumes, he said.

Aimee Barnett, 34, 3400 U.S. 80 Lot 19 was arrested Thursday and charged with manufacturing the drug in the same manner, Pace said.

“There’s no indication that any of these three are linked,” he said.

The only common factor, he said, is that deputies believe all five of those accused of manufacturing the drug got their pseudoephedrine from out of state.

“There are cases where doctors have written prescriptions for pseudoephedrine and people have diverted it,” Pace said.

The majority of crimes in the county and state are committed by offenders who are under the influence of drugs, in possession of drugs or committing crime to finance a drug habit, Pace said.

“With in those three categories falls 75 to 80 percent of all of our major crime,” Pace said. “We have a problem with people making the decision to do drugs. It’s a people problem.”

While meth remains popular, the most common illicit substances found on the streets are marijuana and diverted pharmaceuticals, he said.

“We continue to combat issues as related to drug use and drug sales on all fronts regardless of the substance,” he said.

Three of the five accused meth cooks remained in jail Friday night. Barnett posted $15,000 bail and was released, and Whithead posted $45,000 bail and was released.

Powers and Curtis were held in lieu of $20,000 bail, and bail for Hulett was set at $45,000.