ST. JOSEPH — Methamphetamine is moving into Berrien County.

The sheriff’s department’s Narcotics Unit handled nine meth-related incidents, according to Sheriff L. Paul Bailey’s May report June 7 to the Board of Commissioners Administration Committee.

“We seem to have run into a rash of methamphetamine,” Bailey said. “It’s the one-bottle cook we call ‘shake and bake.’ They’re using different chemicals than anhydrous like they used to. It’s very addictive. Once you get on it, it’s very difficult to get off and very toxic. It’s always been bad in (more rural) Cass, Van Buren, Allegan and St. Joseph counties, but we’ve seen a big increase in the last couple of years.”

A search in Watervliet April 30 yielded meth, laboratory components and one arrest.

There were two arrests with the May 1 seizure of lab components at two Coloma Township locations.

An active lab and meth were taken down May 1 in Benton Township. One arrest was made. Also in Benton Township, on May 2 officers made an arrest and seized lab components.

In Watervliet Township May 2, a discarded lab was confiscated.

May 3 the unit assisted the Department of Corrections with a meth and marijuana seizure in the city of Benton Harbor.

Meth, marijuana, lab components and an arrest were part of a May 4 Benton Township bust.

Meth was seized and four arrests made May 7 in Benton Township.

Drug dogs searched three high schools May 14, 15 and 17, coming up clean at Brandywine High School in Niles Township and at St. Joseph High School, but making two marijuana arrests at Lakeshore High School in Lincoln Township.