WSNIA - The Educator

INFORMATION ♦ EDUCATION ♦ ENFORCEMENT

THE EDUCATOR - Spring 1999

Where is the Meth lab?
(without pictures)

by Tom Lind, Pierce County Sheriff Detective Sergeant

The commonality of the three groups of lab pictures is that they were all cooking methamphetamine in rental houses with absentee landlords. All three deposited hazardous material into the aquifer and septic systems. Each transported hazardous material to different sites to avoid detection while manufacturing meth. Each manufacturer stored hazardous material in self-serve storage facilities. Felons were operating two of the labs while the third had no criminal history.

What do each of these separate methamphetamine labs represent? (1) A threat to public safety and health; (2) a threat to uniformed and narcotic officers; (3) a threat to the environment; (4) financial and personal loss. How many other ways are these labs and the people that manufacture methamphetamine a threat to our families, our communities and our society?

Set A: Mobile lab found parked in a wooded area.

A1. This photo provides a good overall view of the scene as it was found. The orange drums were marked Freon Il and were found with factory seals intact. Freon 11 will displace air in an enclosed space and if the container is left open it will boil off into the atmosphere at normal everyday temperatures. The blue container, with label removed, contains 5 gallons of hydriodic acid. This substance has a pH of 1 (very acidic), will attack rubber products, and will fume if the container is opened. It is listed as a strong irritant, and can cause death if inhaled in concentrations. Hydriodic acid is colorless when new, but rapidly turns yellow to brown on exposure to air and light. It is commonly transported in opaque containers. The glass five-gallon container located next to the blue container contains a multi-layered liquid, which is a by-product of a reaction. This liquid may have a pH anywhere from 1 to 14 (acidic to basic), and may cause severe burns if it comes in contact with unprotected skin.

A2. Notice how the compressed gas cylinders are lying down in the bed of the truck. While this might seem a safe way to transport the cylinders, in that they won't fall over and snap off the valves, it creates a hazardous situation in this case. The "jury-rigged" tank valve with tubing is not what would be expected on a factory-filled tank. This tank has had the valve removed at which point salt and sulfuric acid have been added.

The combination of these two creates a reaction that produces Hydrochloric acid in the form of a gas. When the tank containing these items is laid down, in the position shown, the surface area for the reaction to take place has been increased, thereby increasing pressure within the tank. Normally this amount of pressure would not cause a rupture of the tank, however, water will be present during this reaction, and over time with the re-cycling of the tank, these substances will weaken the tank's structure and make rupture possible.

A3. Associated contaminated glassware from the passenger compartment of the truck. The build-up of chemical residue, on the condenser's ground glass joint may be friction sensitive and may cause a detonation when placed in contact with an other ground glass joint.

Set B: Lab located during the service of a search warrant

B1. The converted door serves as a countertop in the laboratory working area. The surface of this door has been contaminated via numerous spills to the point where some areas are impregnated with chemicals, which may then react violently with the next spill. The 1,000ml triple neck flask found seated in a heating mande contains red phosphorus. This substance is friction-sensitive and its presence on the ground glass joint of the flask may cause a detonation when another ground glass joint comes in contact with it. The five-gallon bucket contains a tri-layered liquid that is the by-product of previous reactions.

B2. Containers of sulfuric acid. Notice the contamination on the outside of the right-hand container, and the chemical burn across the label. Contact with unprotected skin causes severe burns and/or necrosis. The inhalation of concentrated vapors can cause severe lung damage. Contact with the eyes will cause loss of vision.

B3. This plastic bag contains red phosphorus. When new, red phosphorus is a fine powder the color as seen here. When combined with hydriodic acid and ephedrine, the red phosphorus aids the reaction but is not consumed. In the past it was filtered from the reaction and discarded. Extreme heat during the reaction may convert red phosphorus to less stable forms such as yellow or white phosphorus. When dry it might be the source of spontaneous combustion. Recently the red phosphorus is being filtered and retained for future reactions. In this case it will be contaminated with hydriodic acid and have a pH of 1. Note the containers of lye in the background (pH of 14).

Set C: Seized during the service of a search warrant on a DL meth lab.

C1. While this initially may appear to be a messy kitchen, a second look clearly underlines the lab activity. Multiple unmarked containers of solutions are intermixed with the residence dirty dishes.

C2. The only piece of glassware, which is clearly demonstrative of laboratory activity, is the Erlenmeyer on the counter near the center of the photograph. The next item is the Nalgene bottle located next to the flask on top of a plate. These bottles provide both chemical and temperature resistance, and are frequently used in labs which are relocated from time to time. The milk jug on the counter is the more common container for liquids and by-products. This jug contains a bi-layer solution.

C3. Open five-gallon container of solvent located on the kitchen floor in front of the counter. Notice the gallon container of Acetone stored on the bottom. shelf with the foodstuffs. All of the solutions pictured here are potentially contaminated with the chemicals used in this manufacturing process, some of which are extremely poisonous.