Lisa Marchesoni
Posted: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 3:00 pm

Five suspects were charged with promotion of methamphetamine manufacturing after they were accused of buying a key ingredient Friday at several Smyrna pharmacies, the Smyrna Police spokesman said.

Audrey Reed, 21, Deidre Tapp, 18, James Jones, 22, James Tapp, 25, and Kimberly McAfee, 20, were charged with promotion of methamphetamine manufacturing, said Smyrna Police spokesman Sgt. Bobby Gibson. They are from Smyrna, La Vergne, Arrington and Nashville.

Smyrna Police Detective Kevin Krieb received a call from a pharmacist reporting the five people came into the business to buy Sudafed, a component used in the manufacture of the illegal drug, methamphetamine. The process is called “smurfing.”

Tennessee law limits the amount of Sudafed and other ephedrine products people may purchase at one time.

The five suspects were accused of trying to buy the maximum amount at different pharmacies in Smyrna, the spokesman said.

Police made a traffic stop on the suspects and inside the vehicle found a list of all Smyrna pharmacies, how much money each one would carry in the store and what they were going to buy, Gibson said.

“We believe one of the people was the leader, James J. Jones,” Gibson said. “He was the only person who had the money. He would give each person money to buy the product and bring the product out of the store. He gave them $3 per box they brought out.”

The suspects were charged and booked. Hearings were set Jan. 26 in General Sessions Court.