How to decontaminate furniture and mattresses

We are dealing with a meth lab cleanup on our property, courtesy of previous occupants.  We have demolished the contaminated structure and are building new, which has drained every last resource we have.  Now, we are faced with Read more

Lakeland Florida: Meth lab bust included trailer full of guns and bomb making materials

Friday, June 26, 2009: The Polk County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Drug Unit, the PSCO SWAT team, the PCSO Narcotics Unit, with the assistance of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, Federal ATF Agents, and Florida State Fire Marshals Agents have made a Florida neighborhood alot safer and protected three children who were found at the scene of a meth lab. The Read more

Retired truck drivers help clean up meth labs in TN

What do retired truck drivers do after they’ve quit driving for a living? In TN, some retired truck drivers are using their life experience and driving skills to help remove hazardous waste from communities in Tennessee.  Currently, 14 truck drivers cover 11 counties, who are on-call to respond to meth lab scenes, if they are needed by the  TN Meth Task Force. Each truck has been especially outfitted for the job, including blue Read more

What should I do if I suspect a meth lab ?

I think someone in my neighborhood is making meth. What should I do?

Meth labs pose a significant number of health and safety issues to anyone in their vicinity. If you think that someone is operating a meth lab, you should report your suspicions to your local police department or Sheriff’s office, once you are a safe distance away from the lab.  Never, ever, try to investigate the situation yourself.

If you don’t want to call the police for anonymity reasons, you can report the meth lab by taking advantage of a service provided by The Kids to Love Foundation. They offer both an online meth tip line at  www.seemethstopmeth.com website and a tip phone line 1-866-303-METH.

Franklin, Indiana: Families with children homeless after neighbor makes meth

A meth lab bust in Franklin, Indiana had some of the classic signs of a meth lab. The meth cooks didn’t want anyone to know what was going on. Occupants of the building reported seeing their neighbor’s door covered with a blanket and a “do not disturb” sign displayed. But when Read more

Operation Mexican Ice freezes 2.5 million dollar meth operation in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA – Three men accused of running a $2.5 million meth operation, which stretched from Mexico to Philadelphia, are in custody following a 10-month investigation by the Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation (BNI). Attorney General Tom Corbett said the investigation, known as “Operation Mexican Ice” began in September 2008 and focused on the distribution of large quantities of Read more

What health problems do meth labs cause ?

The risk of injury from chemical exposure depends on the chemical itself, the concentration, the quantity, and the length and route of exposure. Chemicals may enter the body by being breathed, eaten, injected (by a contaminated needle or accidental skin prick), or absorbed by the skin, according to the Washington State Environmental Health and Safety Agency.  Anyone spending time in an active or former meth lab faces health riskand sometimes death. Children, because of their small Read more

The King of Methlehem written by Pierce County prosecutor Mark Lindquist

The King of Methlehem: A Novel

Excerpt:  “Wyatt could conduct the interview back at the station, but he prefers the eerie atmosphere of the cook site. They are in a clearing surrounded by fir trees. On a grill mounted on rocks over a campfire is a shallow pan crusted with white powder and littered around the site are mason jars, porn magazines, shredded lithium batteries, cans of muriatic acid, a Read more

Should products containing pseudoephedrine be available only by prescription?

Senator Wright of California has authored a bill known as SB 484 that would require consumers to have a prescription to buy  medicines containing pseudoephedrine. If it passes, California would become the second state in the country to make pseudoephedrine-containing products obtainable only to those having a doctor’s prescription.

The resurgence of meth labs nationwide is spurring some lawmakers to try to enact laws in their state that would make medicines containing pseudoephedrine, like those found in Sudafed, only available to those who have a prescription. Oregon did just that in 2006, when Governor Ted Kulongoski signed legislation known as HB 2485 in to law.

The law-of-the-land in Oregon required the Oregon Board of Pharmacy to move all pseudoephedrine products to Schedule III (prescription only) on or before July 1, 2006. Since then,cold, allergy, and sinus medications containing pseudoephedrine can only be obtained in Oregon with a doctor’s prescription.

Other states, who are experiencing the growth of meth labs however, are wondering if following Oregon’s lead is the answer to their meth lab problem too.

Will California become the next state to make pseudoephedrine-containing products available only by prescription? Read more

M is for Meth Lab: Missouri ranks #1 for meth lab busts

According to reports that AP obtained  from the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the DEA,  when it comes to meth lab busts, no other state even came close to Missouri. During the first quarter of 2009,  reports show that Missouri had over 3 times the amount of meth lab busts than Mississippi, who came in as #2 on the top ten list.  Mississippi was followed by Michigan, 3, Kentucky,4,  Indiana, 5, Illinois, 6, Alabama, 7, Tennessee, 8,  and Arkansas,9.  California came in 10th place with 68 meth lab busts during the months of January, February, and March.

Source: U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Missouri State Highway Patrol.