At first glance, the statistics seem to give a glimmer of hope that perhaps meth’s grip on Missouri is loosening.

Last year, for the first time in more than a decade, the state did not lead the nation in methamphetamine busts. Missouri dropped to No. 3, behind Indiana and Tennessee.

In Missouri, the number of labs, dumpsites, and glassware and chemical seizures plummeted 25 percent from 2012 to 2013, according to numbers compiled by the Missouri Highway Patrol.

Even Jefferson County, which has consistently led the state in seizures of labs and dumpsites, saw a 35 percent drop.

But as is the case with most such numbers, the statistics don’t tell the whole story.

“It should not be any indication that the war on meth is dwindling,” said Cpl. Chris Hoffman, who leads the Jefferson County Municipal Enforcement Group, a drug task force.

Rather, the drop could be a result of a change in enforcement approach, new laws and a more powerful product being imported from Mexico.