A tracking service being used by Indiana law enforcement is helping to block illegal sales of medications which can be used to make methamphetamine.

The National Precursor Log Exchange (NPLEx) tracks drug sales linked to pseudoephedrine (PSE). The drug is meant to be used to relieve nasal and sinus congestion.

An drug watchdog group – the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators - on Wednesday applauded the data released on Wednesday. The stop-sale technology has blocked the sale of more than 17,000 boxes of PSE-containing medicines in Indiana in just 5 months, with deployment of the system about 75 percent complete.

NADDI is a nonprofit organization that facilitates cooperation between law enforcement, healthcare professionals, state regulatory agencies and pharmaceutical manufacturers in the investigation and prevention of prescription drug abuse and diversion.

With more than 5,000 data searches performed by Indiana law enforcement, the system proved to be a helpful and successful tool for law enforcement in November alone, NADDI said. The organization said that the activity was achieved before the implementation date of January 1, 2012.

"The data released by the National Precursor Log Exchange (NPLEx) shows recently passed legislation in Indiana putting in place a real-time, stop-sale system is already having a positive impact in the battle against methamphetamine," said Charles F. Cichon, executive director of the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI).