| INFORMATION ♦ EDUCATION ♦ ENFORCEMENT |
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THE EDUCATOR - Summer 2004 Combating Thefts of Anhydrous Ammonia Located in the wheat fields and along many desolate back roads of Southeastern Washington during Match and April, lie hundreds of hidden treasures. Not items that the average citizen would consider of value but cherished nonetheless, by a select few. The item is a chemical fertilizer, anhydrous ammonia, and the select few are a group we’ve come to know and loathe over the years, the meth cook. Ammonia or NH3, is the third highest volume
chemical produced in the United States and is most commonly found
commercially in anhydrous (dry), or aqueous (wet) form. In Washington State,
ammonia is used primarily as a fertilizer or commercial refrigerant. It is a
caustic, water soluble and corrosive substance that is lighter than air The theft of anhydrous ammonia in Eastern Washington during the spring
months rises dramatically due in part to its distribution into the farm
fields from bulk storage plants. This distribution network ranges from 3,000
gallon bullet tanks down to small 50-gallon applicators. Law enforcement in
Eastern Washington battles thefts of ammonia from the bulk plants by
employing several tactics including video surveillance, various locking
mechanisms and education of both plant workers and their customers.
Legislation over the past several years has made illegally possessing or After being hit hard during the spring months, several years in a row, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, in conjunction with area ammonia suppliers and local farmers, initiated a program where locations of bullet tanks, transfer vehicles and applicators are charted on a county map. As tanks are moved, new locations are tracked and charted. Visual confirmation is utilized to update information. Tanks that are deemed most susceptible to theft are placed under electronic and real-time surveillance as manpower and equipment permits. Sharing intelligence and working with neighboring Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office, enabled us to view ammonia thefts thefts in both counties over the past several years and focus on key areas of concern. In doing so, we believe we were able to reduce thefts in those areas. However, as we progress and come up with new ways to stem ammonia thefts in our counties, the thieves gain knowledge as well. Gone are the days when tweakers carelessly cut hose lines, left valves open and abandoned physical evidence such as duct tape, garden hose and discarded cylinders, all possibly containing fingerprints. The new “Ani-thief,” has amassed hose couplings, stepdowns and adapters specifically designed for ammonia transfer. They conduct their own surveillance of tanks during daylight hours, mapping locations for nighttime assaults. They understand the basic properties of ammonia and take precautions including chemical gloves and air purifying respirators. All of the above tools have been removed from labs in Walla Walla and Columbia Counties in the past year. Of course, we will always have our “Beavis & Butthead” cooks who bare the scars of “Trips to the ani-tank gone bad.” Detective Gary Bolster of the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office introduced me to a company in Iowa who manufactures various size locking devices specifically designed for anhydrous ammonia tank valves. The locks are two- piece in design and appear to be quite sturdy. Both Columbia and Walla Walla Counties have instituted tank lock programs using existing drug fund monies and private donations. While we understand that as law enforcement officers we will never be able to lock every applicator, put a camera on every bullet tank or map the exact location of every transfer truck, we can increase the level of difficulty for those intent on acquiring this chemical by unlawful means. Evidence of our success in Eastern Washington over the past year and a half has been the propagation of anhydrous ammonia generators turning up in meth labs throughout the region. As I said above, as we get better at catching these folks, they get more adept at evading detection and arrest. Meth cooks are now manufacturing their own “crude grade” ammonia, using simple, easy to buy ingredients. One less risk for them equals one more hazard for us. For tank lock info, e-mail or telephone: For more information regarding our
efforts to combat ammonia theft, please contact:
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WSNIA P.O. Box 248 Zillah, Washington USA 98953 |
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