Newer, easier methods of manufacturing illegal stimulant methamphetamine have led to a rise in “mobile” meth labs that have been found in countryside barns, abandoned city buildings, and even a nursing home, reports Cleveland.com.
A fire at the Park Haven nursing home in Ohio caused by a clandestine meth lab made headlines a couple weeks ago, and although it may seem surprising this sort of activity could occur undetected in a nursing home environment, “law enforcement officials say it is entirely possible that someone could have used a room at the home as a makeshift lab without attracting the attention of residents or employees,” says the article.
Meth makers once needed a room full of apparatus, including cookers. But today they often shun the cooking process in favor of a “one pot” method in which a toxic stew is prepared in a 2-liter bottle and then shaken to create a reaction.
AdvertisementWhile meth makers used to require a room full of apparatus, some modern-day meth labs have been condensed to a one-pot system, making it much easier for illegal operations to take place unnoticed in
The latest “meth labs” can fit inside a shopping bag.The one-pot phenomenon, also referred to as “shake and bake,” has caused a surge in traumatic burn injuries across the country, according to news accounts.”It’s easier for them to conceal, but it’s also more hazardous,” said Lt. Jeff Orr, supervisor of a crime task force for Ashtabula and Trumbull counties.
The Park Haven case is under investigation, says Cleveland.com, and the Ohio Department of Health is in the process of revoking the nursing home’s license.
Read the full article here.
Written by Alyssa Gerace
