“MethCheck” tracks pseudoephedrine purchases and finds its way into traffic stops and potentially knock-and-talks and affidavits for search warrants

MethCheck is software for pharmacies that simplifies logging their pseudoephedrine sales. As states with meth lab problems require logs of pseudoephedrine sales, now the cashier can swipe the magnetic strip on the buyer’s driver’s license, and it collects the data on the buyer and the product purchased on the company’s website and e-mails local police about large purchases or a pattern of purchases.

MethCheck LE allows on-demand, real-time access to pharmacy logs from across the country via a website accessible from any PC with internet connectivity. Additionally, MethCheck provides automated tools that give law enforcement the ability to monitor suspicious buying patterns and to “watch” specific individuals who exceed the legal limits imposed by state law.

This was on NPR’s Morning Edition a week ago today: U.S. Tracks Suspicious Sudafed Purchases. A law enforcement website has this article: Cops Using ‘Methcheck’; Rights Activists Whine.

In one story which has appeared more than once, officers showed up at a CVS Pharmacy right after the sale was completed, but missed the buyer. All that shows is that they are right on it, but that does not mean they will catch the buyer at the store.

More importantly, what it means for us, however, is that if the officers have matched a vehicle with the buyer through DMV records, is that enough for a traffic stop on reasonable suspicion? Based on the cases of “Wal-Mart reasonable suspicion” and the stops in Wal-Mart parking lots based on over possession of pseudoephedrine, I think so, as long as the information really does show a pattern of “smurfing.”