WINDSOR, ONT. -- January is Crime Stoppers Month. This year’s theme is 'Helping All Communities Stay Safe'.

Crime Stoppers Canada, the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) and police services across Canada have launched a national public awareness campaign to help educate the public about the dangers of methamphetamine and its damage on communities.

In October 2020, the Canada Border Services Agency and Royal Canadian Mounted Police seized $2.7 million worth of suspected methamphetamine at the Ambassador Bridge.

"When you're seeing people profit from other people's addictions, we are talking about distribution. You’re seeing it associated with human trafficking and drug trafficking and really people are gaining from other people's suffering."

Essex County OPP constable Amanda Allen says this is a growing trend across the country. 

"We really need the communities help in combating this drug," says Allen. 

Allen says increasing meth use has led to organized crime, which is the focus of a new national campaign.

"It’s an illegal drug, there is no way to obtain it legally. It has to be made," says Allen. "We are asking companies, those bigger companies that are supplying the precursor chemicals to report suspicious activity. It’s that simple."

Allen adds there are a few things to watch out for. 

"Locally we are talking about small indicators. It might be somebody disappears for a week at a time. It might be that somebody is your neighbor and just does not want to engage. They don't want to talk to you. They are not looking to be friendly what so ever. Maybe they have no garbage going out at all. Certainly if you’re not putting out garbage on a weekly basis and you live in a house, that’s strange behaviour. That might be a piece of the puzzle of an indicator of a lab in our community," says Allen. 

Police services are encouraging members of the public to report suspicious activity to their local police service, or to remain anonymous and report to Crime Stoppers

"If you see dumping, call us. If you’re a farm of property owner where you discover bins or chemicals that have been dumped on your property, call us they need to be disposed of safely," says Allen. 

As for meth user, Allen says there's always resources to assist in turning your life around. 

"Those people need help and there is help available," says Allen.