Statement of U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein
on the Arrest of 140 Individuals as Part of Operation Mountain Express
August 1, 2000

I co-authored the Methamphetamine Control Act in 1996 because California law enforcement came to me with evidence of a real problem–the rampant use of over-the-counter pseudoephedrine tablets in the production of methamphetamine.

These 140 arrests indicate that the production of methamphetamine, and specifically the trafficking of pseudoephedrine, remains a significant problem facing our state and our country. But thankfully, due to the 1996 legislation, law enforcement now has improved tools to catch and punish pseudoephedrine traffickers.

I commend the Drug Enforcement Administration and the other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies who participated in this operation for their efforts to stop methamphetamine trafficking, and I intend to continue to lead the fight against the production, distribution and use of this dangerous drug.