I think my next door neighbor is a drug dealer

[bdickens]

If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck....

[lunchbox]

Just hope he isn't cooking meth, that stuff is nasty, it stays in the house and in the air, can do bad things.

you would smell meth coocking

[WildBill]

Just hope he isn't cooking meth, that stuff is nasty, it stays in the house and in the air, can do bad things.

you would smell meth coocking

What does it smell like?

[lunchbox]

Just hope he isn't cooking meth, that stuff is nasty, it stays in the house and in the air, can do bad things.

you would smell meth coocking

What does it smell like?

its hard to discribe its burning chemicals its just gross mostly they do it in secluded areas but houses are used too


i smelled its ones in springfield mo I later found out the city is like the meth capital

[Excaliber]

Just hope he isn't cooking meth, that stuff is nasty, it stays in the house and in the air, can do bad things.

you would smell meth coocking

What does it smell like?

Here's a list of meth lab indicators, including what it smells like. The information is written for law enforcement officers, but the objective indicators are valid for anyone. It's taken from the article I provided a link to in an earlier post and that no one appears to have clicked on yet:

Approaching the scene: Exterior signs

First, remember that meth labs can and do surface virtually anywhere, not just in homes. Labs can be quickly assembled and disassembled and can be established in nearly any setting, from a motel room or abandoned building to inside a van or other spacious vehicle (often referred to as a "mobile meth labs"). The presence of the indicators listed below during traffic stops or in settings other than a typical home-like structure can also serve as strong indication of a possible meth production environment.

As you approach a scene, whether it be for a drug-related reason or otherwise, watch for these meth lab indicators:

* Strong chemical odors in the area, often described as smelling like cat urine, ammonia or nail polish remover.
* Windows heavily covered/blacked out and signs of fortification (i.e., bars on windows and / or heavily protected doors)
* Signs of chemical containers and chemical waste around the exterior. Some of the chemicals commonly found at lab sites are Anhydrous Ammonia, Red Phosphorus, Denatured Alcohol, Hydrogen Chloride, Muriatic/Hydrochloric Acid, Toluene, Ether, common paint thinner, and Epsom. Look for containers bearing these kinds of labels. Side note: Anhydrous Ammonia is an agricultural fertilizer. Watch for farmers reporting thefts of this chemical.
* Signs of trip wires or other mechanisms that can be rigged to alert people inside that someone is approaching.
* Propane tanks with bent or tampered valves
* Look for an unusual number of discarded over-the-counter cold medicine packages from medications which contain decongestants.
* An abnormally large collection of anti-freeze containers, drain cleaner bottles, lithium batteries, and car starter fluid containers.
* A noticeable build-up of cigarette butts outside a residence, or other signs that people may be leaving the building to smoke. This can be a clear sign that smoking inside is dangerous due to explosive nature of the chemical fumes.
* Signs that electricity has been inexplicably run to a seemingly abandoned building.

Inside
Once inside, look for signs of the chemicals listed above and take note of chemical odors.

Also watch for

* Signs of chemical staining on bathroom and kitchen fixtures.
* Red chemically stained coffee filters
* Glass lab ware
* Police scanners and other signs of counter-surveillance
* Breathing apparatus
* Protective goggles
* Protective lab-type clothing
* Plastic tubing
* Glass jars
* Cooking bowls with white powder or residue

Meth labs are highly volatile areas that can very quickly turn explosive. Although you may not see a complete lab set-up, remaining alert to seemingly small indicators of a lab in the area can be life-saving.

Once you suspect that you have surfaced a lab setting, here are some things
NOT TO DO:

* Do not smoke or allow anyone in the area to smoke.
* Do not open or move any chemical containers.
* Do not touch any unknown substances with your bare skin.
* Do not smell the contents of ANY container.
* Do not use your firearm inside if at all possible. Firing inside a lab can result in explosion. Should signs of a potential armed encounter surface, quickly look for opportunities to safely exit the area before gunfire can erupt, then establish an appropriate perimeter outside the building.
* Do not plug in or unplug any electric devices.
* Do not flip light switches.
* If involved with photographing evidence, do not use standard flashbulbs. Instead use special photographic strobe equipment that has no possibility of generating any type of spark.
* Remain aware of activities that may generate friction (i.e., using friction-producing tools) and refrain from them.
* If you feel any signs of difficulty breathing, dizziness, confusion or burning of the skin, lungs or other mucous membranes, do not stay in the area. Leave immediately and seek medical advice/treatment promptly.

Intelligence gathering from people in the area

Neighbors in the area and those familiar with the building which is suspect to housing a meth lab can yield valuable intelligence. Some of the kinds of information you can glean from those in the know:

* Landlords who get paid in cash. The drug business is typically run with cash-based transactions.
* Information on heavy foot and vehicular traffic to the location, particularly at night.
* Information on strange chemical odors in the area.
* Notice of lab ware and chemical containers being brought to and removed from the location.
* Information on strange behaviors of those who live at or frequent the scene, like violent outbursts, no noticeable hours of sleep, demonstration of noticeably anxious or paranoid behavior, etc.

User signs
One of the best ways to determine whether you may have hit on a meth lab setting can be the behavior of those whom you encounter early on. Some key indicators of meth use are:

* Agitation
* Excited speech
* Inability to stay still
* Paranoia
* Signs of insomnia (users can go for many days without sleep. Asking, "When was the last time you slept?" may yield some valuable insight into the possibility that the individual is involved with meth.)
* Severe anxiety
* Confusion
* Irritability/nervousness
* "Pounding heart"
* Dry mouth
* Pupil dilation
* Gaunt appearance
* Signs of chemical burns from contact with caustic precursor chemicals and signs of burns on fingers suffered while covering a vent hole on a meth pipe.

If you find indications that a person may be using meth and you have reason to believe that he or she may be involved with its production, immediately treat the situation as though a lab is on site, even if you haven't found it yet. A strong dose of precaution can save your life.

[Venus Pax]

This is a very informative and interesting thread. Just wanted to say thanks to the OP and everyone that responded.

[Flatland2D]

Right now I would tend to think the house is not a meth lab. I haven't smelled any of the smells in the article Excaliber posted. Never seen glass beakers laying around or chemicals.

I did want to comment about the sleep schedule thing, though. In the 6 months we have lived here, I have no idea what goes on inside his house. Just yesterday was the first time I've ever heard the radio being on. You'd at least expect to hear the TV being on some times or maybe him talking. The house is by no means sound proof. His truck is there, but I never hear anything coming from his house. This is not meant to say he's a druggie or dealer, just saying it's rather unusual. Same is true when his ex-girlfriend is over for a visit.

And yes, thanks for all the response I've received so far. It has helped me out a lot.

[WildBill]

Right now I would tend to think the house is not a meth lab. I haven't smelled any of the smells in the article Excaliber posted. Never seen glass beakers laying around or chemicals.

The solvent smells can be a give away, but how noticable they are to you depends on the weather, direction of the wind, rain, and their volume which depends on the size of the lab and the particular type of starting raw materials that they use. Just because you don't see glass beakers or chemical bottles doesn't mean your neighbor isn't up to no good. Meth cookers, generally, are not chemists, nor do their labs look like a typical college chemistry lab. They will use regular laboratory glassware and chemicals, but they will also use what ever they can. That includes kitchen hot plates, camp stoves, soda bottles, cake pans, pickle jars, plastic funnels, pyrex cups, coffee pots, etc.

[lunchbox]

keep in mind meth is not the only drug

[Commander Cody]

Would these people be equally suspicious if they were not “African American guys” or “Mexican guys”? Just asking, think about it.

[KaiserB]

Would these people be equally suspicious if they were not “African American guys” or “Mexican guys”? Just asking, think about it.

Are you asking if someone had racial bias, or if someone made incorrect inferences from facts?

[yerasimos]

My thoughts are:

1. If your neighbor is involved with illicit, non-prescription recreational molecules, he is likely on the retail distribution end---or if he is cooking something, the scale is relatively small. If there was a major physical hazard, you would likely have smelled or observed something by now such as what Excaliber posted earlier.

2. I would prioritize hardening your own dwelling and property and minimizing potential losses in case of burglary or home invasion, before contacting the authorities. Any valuables, aside from your working firearms and ammunition, should be stored elsewhere with trusted friends or relatives, and avoid letting the neighbors or their visitors see anything that would indicate you have money or anything they could easily fence. If you drive a nice car or truck, consider readjusting your insurance coverage, adding security features or otherwise making it a less desirable target. Otherwise, try to keep a low profile and be discreet in your observations.

3. After you look after yourself and yours, then you can consider going to the authorities and see whether they are interested in the information you have collected. I would go directly to the county sheriff, in as discreet fashion as possible (visiting one of their stations two towns over, for example).

[yerasimos]

In the case of a townhouse/apartment complex, a fire in one unit from a small cooking operation could get out of control and spread to the others. In Flatland2D's case, I would expect some distance between the houses, which should mitigate the fire hazard. I would expect the explosive hazard to be scaled with the size of the cooking operation---if that is, indeed, what is going on. So far, Flatland2D has not observed anything that indicates a cooking operation, though that is not cause to dismiss such a possibility. Still, I would speculate his neighbor is likely selling something else---and this speculation is admittedly worth very little and I have no stake in the outcome.

That said, if he ever does smell something "chemical" wafting over from his neighbor's house, he should immediately calll 911, the DEA or a local or state meth lab tipline, though by then it could be too late. It might not be a bad idea to find and program the relevant numbers into a cellular phone for immediate access so they can be dialed from a position of relative safety. Otherwise, it is more productive to focus upon more rational choices and preparation based upon the information currently available.

[Flatland2D]

Would these people be equally suspicious if they were not “African American guys” or “Mexican guys”? Just asking, think about it.

Just trying to describe what I saw. Police commonly describe people by their ethnicity. There's nothing racist about that. But to answer your question, the boney (white) woman was just as suspicious as the other people involved.