New “Mobile” Method of Making Methamphetamine Adds a Twist to Police Work in Portage County

The Portage County Drug Task Force raided 211 meth labs in 2014, more than twice as many as the 87 meth labs found in 2013. Portage County has become one of the capitals of meth in the state of Ohio.

The reason for the increase is a new, portable form of creating meth called “shake and bake,” which allows the methamphetamine to be made more quickly and more easily.

All the components necessary for making meth are combined in a Two-liter soda bottle and shaken back and forth. Most of those components are common but sometimes toxic household chemicals such as cold pills, batteries, drain cleaner, and camping fuel.

This new method requires less room, as well. All of the necessary items can be carried in a backpack or in suitcases. To avoid getting caught, drug users often make meth while driving around in their cars or staying in motel rooms. Often, the mobile meth labs frequently change motels, so the actual number may be even higher than those raided by police.

Because this new “shake and bake” method allows the methamphetamine to be made more quickly and easily, people can learn how to make it on the Internet. But because of the ingredients involved, one wrong move could turn the soda bottle into a huge bomb.

 

 

“If any oxygen gets inside of it, or if the cap is loosened too quickly, or if any step goes wrong, the guy could kill himself because he is actually holding the bottle when it explodes.”-Portage County Drug Task Force Detective Steve Lincoln

 

This creates a potentially dangerous situation for the public. During the cooking process, noxious gas is also produced,which stays inside the motel rooms and could harm nearby humans.

 

Detective Steve Lincoln from the Portage County Drug Task Force said, when they find a suspected meth lab in a motel room they make sure there is no contamination and remove the remaining substances associated with making the meth. The building is also evacuated to insure the safety of the other residents.

 

 

For the hoteliers, a meth lab in the motel could lead to a nightmare scenario:

“If there is an explosion, the entire motel will shut down, that’s a lot of money damage; if there is not an explosion, it is required to hire professional companies to clean and remodel the room, which is a lot of money too…and, what is more important, is our reputation…”

“We only check their ID, but you know…that is nothing…it will be too late when we saw something or smelled something…too late… ” -said a motel owner in Brimfield Township who did not want to be named.

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INFORMATION BOX:

Q:Why Portage County could become the meth lab capital of Ohio?

A:“It’s a rural area, a lot of farmland here. The odor associated with the making of meth is real potent. In order not to get caught, they have to go outdoors. Here (Portage County) is a perfect area for them… –Portage County Drug Task Force Detective Steve Lincoln

For more information:

http://www.co.portage.oh.us/sheriff.htm
http://www.co.portage.oh.us/taskforce/PCDTF_Meth.htm
http://www.dea.gov/druginfo/drug_data_sheets/Methamphetamine.pdf

 

The Portage County Drug Task Force is BREAKING BAD!!! WOW…What’s going there? Check out my story at http://t.co/ghkq77Xgu2 #kentrpa

— Xiafan Li (@xiafanlimage) May 8, 2015

Which county is the meth capital in Ohio? Check out my story here:http://t.co/ghkq77Xgu2 #kentrpa

— Xiafan Li (@xiafanlimage) May 8, 2015