Meth Lab Awareness

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Meth Lab Awareness

• Recognizing Clandestine Methamphetamine
  Laboratories
• Kentucky State Police
• Trooper First Class Josh Lawson

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What is Methamphetamine?

• A Schedule II Controlled Substance with
• immense abuse potential, methamphetamine
• (known on the street as "speed, meth, crank,
• crystal-meth, and glass") is a central nervous
• system stimulant of the amphetamine family.

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Consumption Methods
Methamphetamine Can be ingested, inhaled, or
injected. It is sold as a powder or in small
chunks which resemble rock candy. It can be
mixed with water for injection or sprinkled on
tobacco or marijuana and smoked. Chunks of
clear, high purity methamphetamine ("ice,
"crystal," "glass") are smoked in a small pipe,
much as "crack" cocaine is smoked. Since
methamphetamine will vaporize rapidly, some heat
the drug and inhale the fumes that are released.
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Effects of Methamphetamine

• Releases high levels of dopamine in the brain.
• Enhances users mood and behavior
• Neurotoxic effect

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Historical Methamphetamine Production

• Illegal drug production
• was originally concentrated
• in clandestine labs
• throughout the Western
• and Southwestern United
• States.

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CHEMICAL STRUCTURES
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METHODS OF MANUFACTURING

• Birch/Nazi (Anhydrous Method)
• Red Phosphorous
• Others

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One Pot Method

• Most common and produces least amount of drug -
  about 70 of those encountered

• 1 to several ounce cook

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Why Produce Methamphetamine?

• The processing required to make methamphetamine
• from precursor substances is easier and more
• accessible than ever. An investment of a few
  hundred
• dollars in over-the-counter medications and
  chemicals
• can produce thousands of dollars worth of
  methamphetamine.

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Precursors

• Precursors are substances that, in nature, might
  be inactive. However, when combined with another
  chemical the result is a new product.
  Methamphetamine starts with an inactive or
  marginally-inactive compound (ephedrine or
  pseudoephedrine) and other chemicals are added to
  produce the drug. Some of those include

Iodine Red Phosphorous Acetone Ephedrine
Tablets Pseudoephedrine Tablets Muriatic
Acid Sulphuric Acid Mini-Thins Coleman
FuelAnhydrous Ammonia Lithium
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What Are Precursors?
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Detecting the Methamphetamine User

• Under the influence of the drug, users often
  become agitated and feel "wired." Their behavior
  becomes unpredictable. They may be friendly and
  calm one moment, angry and terrified the next.
  Some feel compelled to repeat meaningless tasks,
  such as taking apart and reassembling bits of
  machinery. Others may pick at imaginary bugs on
  their skin. Physical affects include increased
  heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and
  rate of breathing it dilates the pupils and may
  cause tremors

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Detecting the Methamphetamine User
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Physical Effects
Dry itchy skin Welts Nausea,
vomiting Blurred vision Fever Twitching Strokes

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Environmental Hazards
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Environmental Hazards

• Each pound of meth produced leaves behind up to
  seven (7) pounds of toxic waste. Meth cooks often
  pour left over chemicals and sludge down
  household drains, household plumbing, storm
  drains, or directly onto the ground.
• Solvents and other toxic byproducts used to
  produce meth pose long-term hazards because they
  can persist in the soil and groundwater for
  years.
• Clean-up costs are exorbitant because
  solvent-contaminated soil usually must be
  incinerated.

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• Economic costs fall on local, state, and federal
  governments, which must allocate additional
  resources for social services, treatment,
  prevention, research, and law enforcement.
• The reckless practice of the untrained people who
  manufacture meth in clandestine labs, results in
  explosions and fires that injure and kill not
  only the people and families involved, but also
  law enforcement officers or firefighters who
  respond.
• Exposure to the potent chemicals used in the
  making of meth can enter the central nervous
  system by touching or breathing and cause neural
  damage, effect kidneys, and burn or irritate the
  skin, eyes and nose.

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Impact of Meth Labs
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What to Look For

• Unusual, strong odors (like cat urine, ether,
  ammonia, acetone or other chemicals).
• Residences with windows blacked out.
• Renters who pay their landlords in cash. (Most
  drug dealers trade exclusively in cash.)
• Lots of traffic - people coming and going at
  unusual times. There may be little traffic during
  the day, but at night the activity increases
  dramatically.
• Excessive trash including large amounts of items
  such as antifreeze containers, lantern fuel
  cans, red chemically stained coffee filters,
  drain cleaner and duct tape.
• Unusual amounts of clear glass containers being
  brought into the home.

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What to Look For
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What to Look For
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WHERE ELSE ARE THEY?
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ROLLING LABS
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Methamphetamine Production Methods
ANHYDROUS AMMONIA
and
RED PHOSPHOROUS
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How to Make Methamphetamine

• The first stage in the process of making
• Methamphetamine using the Anhydrous or Red
• Phosphorous method is to extract the active
• chemical, ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, from
• over-the-counter cold tablets.

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Making Methamphetamine

• The solvent containing the ephedrine or
• pseudoephedrine is separated from the unwanted
• parts of the tablet by pouring the mixture
  through
• several coffee filters. The unwanted tablet
• material will remain in the filter and be
  discarded.

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Making Methamphetamine

• The solvent containing the ephedrine or
• Pseudoephedrine evaporates leaving a white pasty
• mixture of pure ephedrine or pseudoephedrine.

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Determination of Method to Use

• The Chemist will decide at this point the method
• of production he / she will use, Anhydrous
• Ammonia or Red Phosphorous. Often times, the
• Chemist will decide based solely upon the
• availability of chemicals without being detected.
  
• Red Phosphorous can be extracted from the striker
• plates of Match book covers or road flares,
• Anhydrous Ammonia is commonly stolen from
• Industrial Supply Stores or farmers.

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Determination of Method to Use
Nazi Method
or Ammonia Method
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Making Meth
ANHYDROUS AMMONIA
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Making Meth
ANHYDROUS AMMONIA

• Anhydrous Ammonia is added to the mixture
• which turns a very dark blue when the Anhydrous
• makes contact with the sodium metal.

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Making Meth
ANHYDROUS AMMONIA
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Making Meth
ANHYDROUS AMMONIA
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Determination of Method to Use
RED PHOSPHOROUS
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Making Meth
RED PHOSPHOROUS

• This process will create
• Methamphetamine base as well as Phosphine
• Gas which is extremely dangerous.

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Making Meth
RED PHOSPHOROUS
Sources of Red PH
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Making Meth
RED PHOSPHOROUS
Sources of Iodine
IODINE TINTURE PLUS HYDROGEN PEROXIDE EQUALS
IODINE CRYSTALS
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Making Meth
RED PHOSPHOROUS
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Making Meth
RED PHOSPHOROUS
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Making Meth
RED PHOSPHOROUS
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Making Meth
HCL Generator

• The HCL gas will salt out Methamphetamine in
• the bottom of the jar. HCL gas is extremely
• dangerous and can cause permanent injury to
• lungs and mucous membranes. Some lab
• operators may alter this process by using
  Muriatic
• Acid to generate HCL gas instead of salt and
  drain
• cleaner. The Muriatic Acid method can be used in
• either the Red P or Anhydrous Ammonia method.

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Examples of HCL Generators
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Examples of HCL Generators
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Examples of HCL Generators
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Examples of HCL Generators
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Hazards At Meth Labs
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Hazards At Meth Labs
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Hazards At Meth Labs
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Hazards At Meth Labs
ANHYDROUS AMMONIA
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Hazards At Meth Labs
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Hazards At Meth Labs
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Hazards At Meth Labs
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Hazards At Meth Labs
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Hazards At Meth Labs
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Contact Your Local Law Enforcement Or Kentucky
State Police 1-800-222-5555