# Prepping / Emergency Preparedness > General Emergency Preparedness >  Meth Labs

## crashdive123

One of the things that is mentioned for a reason to have to evacuate quickly (bug out) are meth labs.  As most folks probably know, the materials that are used in the production of methamphetamene are extremely hazardous.  I'll bet that many, when reading a post here regarding meth labs say to themselves - not here.  There aren't any meth labs around where I live.  Now, some of you that live in more remote locations are probably correct when you say that.  I wonder how many folks in Tulsa, OK thought the same thing.  http://www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/i..._methlabs.html

----------


## Ken

Sudafed, anyone?

----------


## nell67

A couple of months ago,my neighbor was arrestd for manufacturing meth,that property is less than  a quarter mile away from me,there was no evacuation while they destroyed the lab,and there are neighbors almost directly across the street from them,with kids,and they were all standing there watching as the lab was dismantled.

----------


## Ken

Here's a lab: http://www.mappsd.org/Lab-Bedroom.jpg

Here is the final product:  http://www.louisvilleky.gov/NR/rdonl...opleonMeth.jpg

Remember: 
http://www.anti-meth.org/images/Meth...20Neighbor.gif

----------


## COWBOYSURVIVAL

I know of one rather expensive home probably built in the 80's that has been condemed and boarded up for at least 10 yrs, now after a meth lab was discovered. I don't know if it is state owned now or what.

----------


## mcfd45

Meth can be made anywhere.  We did an MVA once and the guy had a mobile meth lab in the back.  We got the guy and got out.  If you do stumble into a meth lab GET OUT AND CALL 911.

----------


## Rockgod1619

I'm from Oklahoma and I can tell you that I think quite often about what would happen if one happened to go up in the apartment complex in which I live.  Luckily, I can grab most of the important things I own before I lost my own apartment, even if the fire started just below me.  And since I keep a BOB in my car, I'll have suitable equipment if need be.

----------


## grundle

The only time a meth lab is dangerous is when they are actually cooking the meth.  If they just have the chemicals laying around then there is no problem.

Unfortunately cooking it is somewhat time consuming, and most people prefer the quick and easy method which is also the most dangerous.

----------


## mcfd45

> The only time a meth lab is dangerous is when they are actually cooking the meth.  If they just have the chemicals laying around then there is no problem.
> 
> Unfortunately cooking it is somewhat time consuming, and most people prefer the quick and easy method which is also the most dangerous.


I have to disagree with you on this one grundle.  the byproducts of cooking are very dangerous.

----------


## crashdive123

> The only time a meth lab is dangerous is when they are actually cooking the meth.  If they just have the chemicals laying around then there is no problem.
> 
> Unfortunately cooking it is somewhat time consuming, and most people prefer the quick and easy method which is also the most dangerous.


I'm with Mcdf45 on this one Grundle.  The byproducts that are cooked off in the manufacturing process are extremely hazardous.  If you were to enter a sturcture that regularly cooked meth without breathing aparatus you would be placing your health at risk.  The clean-up of meth labs is very expensive and usually involves replaceing wall, carpets, etc.

----------


## grundle

> I'm with Mcdf45 on this one Grundle.  The byproducts that are cooked off in the manufacturing process are extremely hazardous.  If you were to enter a sturcture that regularly cooked meth without breathing aparatus you would be placing your health at risk.  The clean-up of meth labs is very expensive and usually involves replaceing wall, carpets, etc.


Good points.  I was speaking only of the dangers of explosion.  I wasn't really thinking of the noxious fumes.

----------


## Winnie

Good grief, I never realised just how prolific these labs were, having only seen them on the TV in a show. I'm not sure whether meth is being made over here or not, I do know it has begun to appear on the streets, but is being smuggled in. I've no doubt that if the market for the stuff increases meth labs will pop up all over the place. Cannabis farms are the really big business over here.

----------


## mcfd45

> Good points.  I was speaking only of the dangers of explosion.  I wasn't really thinking of the noxious fumes.


It is still explosive when not being cooked.

----------


## Rick

To Crash's post, whether we deem it dangerous or not really isn't the question. The question that we should be asking is, 

"Are you prepared to leave at a moment's notice should an officer knock on your door and tell you to evacuate?" 

If the agency in charge deems it a danger worthy of evacuation then the rest is a mute point. It's just one of many such dangers that could force us to "Bug Out". 

If you answered NO to the question then you have some more work to do.

----------


## oneraindog

growing up in the central valley of california meth labs exploding where as much a part of life as small earthquakes. god im glad i dont live there anymore.

----------


## Rick

!!Kaboom!!

"Listen, honey. That crazy John is out there brewing up some meth again." (chuckles and shakes head)

"I do hope he's alright."

"Alright? He's fine. Why he's been blown up more times than an inflatable prom date."

"Charles! (shaking finger) You stop that."

(chuckles and turns page of newspaper) "Crazy California." (shakes head)

----------


## oneraindog

rick: exactly. the only part you were missing is where charles and his wife are pissed cause now they have to find a new place to score.

----------


## Ole WV Coot

I just don't know about nipping private enterprise in the bud. First, see if they are paying taxes on their income before complaining. If so get the local constabulary to sandbag the trailer. Let them earn their payoff. Get hazmat gear free from them also. Demand a small percentage of their gross income, but not in grubby $1 bills. Private enterprise has long been stifled by large drug companies pushing Oxycontin at inflated prices and competition is good for the economy.

----------


## Rick

I'm not used to irony from you Coot. I may have to go lay down.

----------


## Ken

Compared to crack and heroin, there's not much crystal up this way.  No difference - they'll all kill you soon enough.

----------


## Ole WV Coot

> I'm not used to irony from you Coot. I may have to go lay down.


It's very common around this area. The "locals" were first taught to cook it years ago from pushers usually from Detroit, now Columbus and Dayton, OH. There is no shortage of it. It is controlled by politicians and local law enforcement who look the other way. Everything political revolves around money anywhere. Most of all it's easy to make, cheap and deadly. One guy I knew first lost his job, teeth, health then liver. He was on a transplant list, which surprised me, got a liver and before the transplant he was told to forget it, too far gone and died in two weeks. I could buy it myself, yet it's being made and sold in many places. What people do for money never ceases to amaze me. So common in this part of the country it's called "Hillbilly Heroin". Kinda pushes a button or two when people pretend it's not here.

----------


## Max

I come from a fairly nice middle class neighborhood in Austin, TX, and imagine my surprise when I came home for lunch one day during high school, and there are a dozen cop cars parked out front of my house and the neighbor's house, some in uniform and others not, and my mom is right in the the thick of it, chatting them up. 

Apparently, our neighbors were running a meth lab, and we had no clue. We're talking, not 30 feet from our porch to theirs, and my parents aren't wet behind the ears. They grew up in Houston during the 60's and 70's, but we didn't notice anything strange or detect a smell while they were living there. 

Makes you wonder about people and their total disregard for life and safety, because there was a family living there, not just the one guy.

Never saw the appeal in it either, when it's so clearly harmful on a quick and massive scale. I guess money is a powerful motivator for most, but to what end? Can't take it with you when you go... to prison, that is.

----------


## Ken

> I guess money is a powerful motivator for most, but to what end? Can't take it with you when you go... to prison, that is.


You're right.  They can leave it all with me!

----------


## Schleprok

plus Meth interferes with my moonshine business....

----------


## swampmouse

I noticed a building in the backyard of my freinds neighbors house smoking one day not long ago.  He made the news.  Methed-up big time and got busted.  LOL!  My bud says he never knew, I wonder is he broke all the time now.

----------


## Lothaen

Also of note are those campers and outdoorsy types who happen to stumble over meth labs in the woods. I know of a few members of another forum thrice removed from this one who would go meth lab hunting in deep woods. Not advisable.

I used to live in Tulsa; it is amazing to see how many labs are in the area. Notice the 21st street line... north of that line and the housing values drop sharply. 

On a side note, what is the best round to shoot a meth lab with?  :pepsi:

----------


## Rick

Incendiary?

----------


## Mountain Man

> Also of note are those campers and outdoorsy types who happen to stumble over meth labs in the woods. I know of a few members of another forum thrice removed from this one who would go meth lab hunting in deep woods. Not advisable.
> 
> I used to live in Tulsa; it is amazing to see how many labs are in the area. Notice the 21st street line... north of that line and the housing values drop sharply. 
> 
> On a side note, what is the best round to shoot a meth lab with?


Something you can be sure you are far, far, far, far, far far, far, far away  :Smile:

----------


## chiangmaimav

Meth is the biggest drug problem here, where it is called yaa baa which means crazy drug. It is like an epidemic.
Most of it is made in Burma, where the warlords who used to only deal in opium now have switched to meth because there is a greater profit margin and it is easier to hide production as the poppie fields are easy to find.

----------


## Beo

Here is some info from my department and what we look for, and some other info. Having dealt with this crap I can say it is dangerous and a growing concern all over the nation. We combat this daily in the more country areas of our county as meth dealers tend to use out of the way or remote locations although we have found them in the city and even a rolling RV meth lab.
The Meth Lab:
Meth can be manufactured in a clandestine drug lab that we all call a meth lab, in a variety of indoor and outdoor locations, including houses, apartment buildings, motels, vehicles, wooded areas or fields. Meth is cooked by applying common, readily available materials to one of several basic recipes.

Meth "recipes" can be easily obtained through the Internet or by associating with other cooks. There are hundreds of chemical products and substances that are used interchangeably to produce meth.  The substitution of one chemical for another in meth recipes may cause the process to be more hazardous resulting in fire or explosion or may result in a tainted, final product with unwanted or dangerous effects. 
Many dangerous chemical ingredients are used to make meth. The cooking process causes chemical residues and meth to be deposited on surfaces and household belongings. Also, chemical by-products such as toxic phosphine gas may be formed during meth manufacture. This may occur through planned chemical interaction, or by processing errors, such as increasing cooking temperatures too rapidly. 

Every meth "recipe" starts with over-the-counter medications that include pseudoephedrine or ephedrine in their contents. The pills are crushed and mixed with other chemicals in the process of cooking meth.  Various meth recipes include combinations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), acids, bases, metals, solvents and salts. Making meth with these chemicals can result in explosions, chemical fires, and the release of toxic gases. 
Meth cooking also produces solid and liquid wastes that can contaminate a building and its contents, or the groundwater or soil where they are dumped. 
Health effects caused by exposure to meth lab chemicals depend on: (1) the lab process and chemicals used; (2) the amount of chemical and length of exposure; and (3) the age and health of the person exposed. Chemicals may enter the body by being breathed, eaten, or absorbed through the skin.
An acute exposure is one that occurs over a relatively short period of time. Acute exposure to meth lab chemicals can cause shortness of breath, cough, chest pain, dizziness, lack of coordination, chemical irritation, or burns to skin, eyes, nose and mouth. Death could result when exposure is to a particularly toxic chemical or the person exposed is particularly vulnerable. Acute exposures can occur in non-drug users during or immediately after cooking.
Less severe exposures can result in symptoms such as headache, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue or lethargy. These symptoms have been known to occur in people exposed to active labs, but also in people ---particularly law enforcement personnel and other first responders --- who have entered a drug lab before the site has been cleaned or ventilated. These less-severe symptoms usually go away after several hours of exposure to fresh air.
Exposures to lab chemicals or byproducts over a long period of time - called chronic exposures - may cause both long-term and short-term health effects. Long-term exposures to VOCs may result in liver and kidney damage, neurological problems, and increased risk of cancer. Even at low levels, exposures for long periods by people living in a former lab site could result in serious health effects.
*How do I recognize a meth lab?* 

Clues that may indicate illegal production or sales of drugs, including meth, are:
Frequent visitors at all times of the day or night, 
Occupants appear unemployed, yet make cash purchases and payments, 
Occupants are unfriendly, appear secretive about activities, or lie and display odd or paranoid behavior, 
Covering or blacking-out of windows, 
Other security measures, such as signs posted around the property, fences and cameras or baby monitors outside of buildings, 
Burn pits, stained soil or dead vegetation indicating dumping of chemicals or waste, 
Strong chemical odors, including sweet, bitter, ammonia or solvent smells at various and random times during the day and/or night, 
Waste in trash, pits or piles, such as: 
Packaging from over-the-counter ephedrine or pseudoephedrine cold, diet or allergy pills 
Empty containers from: antifreeze, white gas, ether, starting fluids, Freon, lye or drain openers, paint thinner, acetone, or alcohol 
Compressed gas cylinders, or camp stove (Coleman) fuel containers 
Packaging from epsom salts or rock salt 
Anhydrous ammonia tanks; propane tanks or coolers containing anhydrous ammonia 
Pyrex/glass/Corning containers, with dried chemical deposits remaining 
Bottles or containers connected with rubber hosing and duct tape 
Coolers, thermos bottles, or other cold storage containers 
Respiratory masks and filters or dust masks 
Funnels, hosing and clamps 
Coffee filters, pillow cases or bed sheets stained red (used to filter red phosphorous), or containing a white powdery residue 

Hope this helps you and remember that this stuff is real dangerous and very volitile and explosive, dangerous to breath and will burn your skin. So if you come across anything you think is a meth lab or a true meth lab then call the police in your area right away.
Beo,

----------


## chiye tanka

Where I am, Lake county has one of the highest rates in the state for meth labs. We've found them in car trunks, in the middle of the cities, and burried in the woods in coolers with exaust tubes sticking out of the ground. 
So far this year, we've done over thirty meth lab busts. The next highest is Polk county, with nine.

----------


## crashdive123

> Where I am, Lake county has one of the highest rates in the state for meth labs. We've found them in car trunks, in the middle of the cities, and burried in the woods in coolers with exaust tubes sticking out of the ground. 
> So far this year, we've done over thirty meth lab busts. The next highest is Polk county, with nine.


Do you think that is because there is more of it, or is your department more active in going after it?

----------


## chiye tanka

Both Crash! We're fairly rural, so there's lots of places for them to hide the junk. Plus our drug unit's captain is, well lets just say he's been doing this stuff for a while. :Sneaky2:

----------


## Ken

> Both Crash! We're fairly rural, so there's lots of places for them to hide the junk. Plus our drug unit's captain is, well lets just say he's been doing this stuff for a while.


You guys!   :clap:   Job security at its best!!!!

----------


## Ken

At least they won't be blowing up neighborhoods.

*New Meth Formula Avoids Anti-Drug Laws* 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32542373...ime_and_courts

----------


## Winnie

Wow! You know I've come to the conclusion I'm very naiive. I had no idea how prevalent this was or how dangerous, Living in the depths of the country has given me a false sense of security. I had no idea you dealt with stuff like this on such a large scale. Scary stuff.

----------


## Rick

Free enterprise at work. Faster, cheaper, better. Reduce overhead and increase profits. Now, if we can just figure out a way to add orange dye without them knowing it, everyone involved will be pretty easy to spot.

----------


## Gut shot

Yeah that crap is BAD news! Like we don't already have enough crack heads running around . I live in a rural area and a couple of years ago a house on the next street got busted for a meth lab , I didn't know the guy but he seemed normal , middle aged , well keeped yard nice cars / boat but not too nice , and quiet until the DEA busted his door off the hinges , The DEA took the house and i don't know what else , and ........somehow a Fed agent got the house for a great deal hmmmmmm

----------


## OhioHillbilly

"Hillbilly Heroine", as Mr. Coot calls it, is running rampant through Scioto county too. These folks will beat the hell out of a 70 yr. old for the money to buy some. Several years ago a close family member was involved in making it but he couldn't keep his nose out of it. He started going downhill fast. When I found out where he was staying I went to see him and he was living like a hermit. I gave him an out. But it was going to be under my rules. It took about two weeks to figger things out but he came and stayed with me and got himself cleaned up and back to work in the Union trades. Thank God.
  Things could have ended up a lot worse.

----------


## finallyME

When my brother-in-law was going to Baylor Law School in Waco, they lived in a duplex.  A month before he graduated, his wife smelled something and figured the other side of the duplex might be cooking meth.  She called the police.  They showed up at the other side and knocked on the door.  When someone answered, they said "Are you the lady that called because your neighbors are cooking meth?".  Eventually they went to the right door and talked to my sister-in-law.  She was scared that they might retaliate for ratting them out, so she moved a month early to their new house in San Antonio.  My brother-in-law had to stay to finish his last month.  His last night in the duplex, he smelled smoke.  He grabbed everything left in the place (not much, since they moved most of it) and drove his car out the garage.  The fire department was there putting the fire out from the lab catching on fire.  The neighbors told them no one lived in the other side, so no one went in to find him.  He now lives in San Antonio making a fortune (to pay off his huge student debt) as a patent lawyer.

----------


## Huntinfool

I know a guy who was a respected gunsmith and worked for a nationally known barrel company. 

He first lost his job then his vehicle then his house and recently got busted for holding some crankhead hooker at gunpoint because he said she stole 60 dollars from him.

It's a real shame what this chemical does to people it basically makes them soul-less zombies! Hey maybe that's where all the zombies everyone is always talkin' about will come from!

Naw that's bad shouldn't even joke about it! I don't keep up with what all is going on since I moved out in God's country. I saw him on the news as he was being arrested. They never said what the root of his problem was I'm sure the local cops know.

If the truth would come out it might help put an end to some of this coruption don't know!

~HF~

----------


## klkak

I have noticed while viewing "Who's on line", that quite a few of the guest were viewing this thread.  I wonder why?  I wonder what they thought they would find in a thread titled "Meth labs"?

Things that make you go "Hmmmm"!

----------


## oldsoldier

According to a recent report on the local news. Since the decline of the economy here and the closing/down sizing of several major employers. (whirlpool, Indiana tube, Toyota, nd several more. about 8,000 total jobs affected) The manufacture (spelling?) of Meth and other drugs has increased over 500% in this area. It's a shame that when things get bad people take advantage with the poisons they put out there.

----------


## doug1980

In my home town of Otwell IN, with a population of about 1,400, there were over 10 meth labs.  All within a 38 square mile area.  2 of them I could see from my house a block away.  In 2005 a tornado came through and destroyed those two.  I found out a few months ago that one of my son's friend's mom was busted with a meth lab in her garage.  Scary part is I used to let my son play at her house.  I always thought that area was a very safe place to live and a great place to raise a family.  But when I was growing up there was nothing to do, so we found things to do.  Underage drinking, getting in trouble and teen sex is what most do there.  Thankfully I got out of there, and as soon as I did my little brother got on the wrong path.  Now he is in to the drinking and drugs.  Everything from a little marijuana to meth I have heard.  Very sad but not really my problem.

----------


## Rick

Teen sex?! No! Seriously?

----------


## oldsoldier

> In my home town of Otwell IN, with a population of about 1,400, .


 Hey doug your not far from me when you go home about 30-45 minutes away. Next time your home let me know I'll buy ya a beer or two.

----------


## Ole WV Coot

Not popular around here now, users have rapidly died out. Called the stuff Hillbilly Heroin a few years back. My cuz across the river is a KY state police detective and what he tells me is I have my head up my rear, still plenty out there. Man took a shot at him a few months ago on a raid and was out with a $150.00 fine, because he missed I guess. Our legal system stinks.

----------


## Old GI

SOP was evacuate several blocks.  LEOs (aka Blue Canaries) started wearing suits into labs.

Whoever did that without evacuation needs a "stern talking to."

----------


## redwoodfox

there was a house aross the street from my old apartment that caught fire beacuse they had a meth lab. Lucky for me it happened a couple weeks before i moved in.

----------


## neondog

12 years ago I was working in central Oklahoma about 50 miles below Kansas (Enid) and heard a big boom. A house a block away had all the walls laying in the yard and the roof was sitting on the foundation. That's when I learned what it smelled like.

Now I'm living about twelve miles east of Lawton, Ok. and about once a month I'll smell it on my morning commute in to work. Usually when the wind is out of the north. There is a wildlife refuge and a bunch of military special use area and I guess a lot of mobile labs.

You won't ever hear it on the news, but there is getting to be a lot of "gang bangers" in the military. They join up for the weapons and hand to hand training then when they think they are smart enough, get kicked out. Sad!!

----------


## Beo

Lets talk more about the teen sex... lol... 18 and over teen sex that is...

----------


## bulrush

Iowa supposedly has more meth labs per capita than any other state in the US. My employer has an office there and one of the employees told me.

----------


## Sourdough

Why would a thread with only 51 posts............Have "OVER" Ten Thousand (10,079) views. Internet shoppers.......Maybe??????

----------


## Rick

I stop by 4 or 5 times a day looking for samples. I guess they just add up.

----------


## klkak

For all non-members (guest).  Become a member of this forum and tell use what you were hoping to find when you looked at the thread!

----------


## Justin Case

I seen a special on tv and they said most Meth is coming from "Super Labs" in Mexico now,,  Here in the US they have made it pretty hard to get the stuff to make it,,

----------


## klkak

Here is the question.




> *For all non-members (guest).  Become a member of this forum and tell use what you were hoping to find when you looked at the thread!*

----------


## Justin Case

> For all non-members (guest).  Become a member of this forum and tell use what you were hoping to find when you looked at the thread!


LOL,  you got me curious,,,,  I did a quick search of Meth Labs and this site topped the list,  (oops)  lol  http://www.bing.com/search?q=meth+la...form=QBRE&qs=n

----------


## crashdive123

> I seen a special on tv and they said most Meth is coming from "Super Labs" in Mexico now,,  Here in the US they have made it pretty hard to get the stuff to make it,,


Oh I don't know about that.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/artic...1_ATgnne236515

http://www.kentucky.com/editorials/story/1123842.html

----------


## Justin Case

> Oh I don't know about that.
> 
> http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/artic...1_ATgnne236515
> 
> http://www.kentucky.com/editorials/story/1123842.html


Yikes,,   I must have seen a show from 07 ?

----------


## Trabitha

Yep, never thought you could find a meth lab out my way...I live in a VERY rural area, lots of little podunk towns and very little city if any.  Wow was I brought into reality when one blew up about a week or so ago about 10 minutes from me.  
Pot used to be the drug of choice in this area...not anymore.  :Frown:   Really have to watch our children now days.   :Online2long:

----------


## welderguy

read in the local paper the other day , three people were arrested in connection with a mobile meth lab .

----------


## smudd55

I am a county deputy and I see labs all the time.  We let the State boys handle the clean up.  The by-products are very dangerous.  The stuff they just toss out the window without regard to anybody's safety.  We have explosions on the side of the road because they will throw a 20oz bottle out of their car window after passing an officer(very paranoid also).  The bottles have to be "burped" every 20 minutes or so to release the ether fumes.  Explosions in the homes usually come from the cooker not soaking the lithium in fuel oil during the process or sweating on the strip.  If you are out in the woods or driving down the road and you smell something that smells like ammonia, make note of were you smelled it and call the police.  You may also smell ether(starting fluid).  Meth is some bad stuff and not to be messed with.  If you ever find a bottle with gold beads in it, get away immediately.  That means it is still cooking.  Just a little info for my friends on here.

----------


## nell67

> I am a county deputy and I see labs all the time. We let the State boys handle the clean up. The by-products are very dangerous. The stuff they just toss out the window without regard to anybody's safety. We have explosions on the side of the road because they will throw a 20oz bottle out of their car window after passing an officer(very paranoid also). The bottles have to be "burped" every 20 minutes or so to release the ether fumes. Explosions in the homes usually come from the cooker not soaking the lithium in fuel oil during the process or sweating on the strip. If you are out in the woods or driving down the road and you smell something that smells like ammonia, make note of were you smelled it and call the police. You may also smell ether(starting fluid). Meth is some bad stuff and not to be messed with. If you ever find a bottle with gold beads in it, get away immediately. That means it is still cooking. Just a little info for my friends on here.


Thanks for the info! I pick up cans along side the road a lot,and also collect caps off coke bottles,and have heard of the "quickie method" of using those bottles to make meth,so I never pick up a bottle unless it is completely empty.

----------


## JPGreco

I know meth was somewhat popular in PA when I lived there.  The roofers were all snaggle toothed meth heads on one of the job sites.  They didn't show up for like 3 weeks on one stretch.  Rural areas are used to cook it in cause you don't generally have nosey neighbors or neighbors at all to smell any of the fumes.  Less likely to be caught and they just ship it to the urban areas.

thanks for the info smudd.

----------


## shiftyer1

Meth,  makin pretty girls ugly for 30 years!

----------

