Many times, after police shut down a methamphetamine production facility, or meth lab, those nearby are shocked to learn that drugs were being produced in their neighborhood without them knowing.
Police say a meth lab looks like any other home. There may or may not be a lot of people coming and going , depending on whether the drug is sold out of the home, or if the "cook" delivers it to different customers.
Local police say that while it may be difficult to pinpoint suspicious activity at a meth lab, there are a few things to look for.
Oneida City Police Chief David Meeker said there may be unusual amounts of home garbage as the cook tries to get rid of equipment that can't be reused in cooking another batch.
Many times, cooks will dispose of the used meth gear away from the lab. This results in what is called a "meth dump," which can be a roadside ditch, a wooded area or remote public place.
The trash can look innocent enough -- soda bottles, household cleaning bottles, and small lengths of plastic hose used in the cooking process.
This trash is classified as hazardous waste, and Oneida City Police Investigator Mike Burgess said that if these discarded items are touched, they can cause skin irritation from chemical residue.
"If you see something and aren't sure what it is, don't touch it, and call us. We will come out and investigate," Burgess said.
Police say people may be noticed carrying away trash for disposal, or putting trash in dumpsters at businesses or other sites. Burgess has heard of drug-makers burning the trash, which could release a chemical odor.
Meth production creates an odor.
It can be flammable and highly dangerous, depending on the recipe, and police say there are many different kinds.
Ingredients can include muriatic acid, a chemical used for cleaning concrete; camp fuel and automotive starting fluid, all which have strong odors on their own.
According to one website offering meth recipes, the smell of cooking meth with these ingredients can range from a rotten egg and chemical aroma to ammonia or cat urine smell, depending on the ingredients.
"People experience different smells," Madison County Sheriff Allen Riley said, but there is always a strong chemical smell.
The smell can dissipate soon after the cooking is done. If cooked indoors, there is generally an exhaust or fan system rigged up to ventilate the cooking area, since the fumes generated can make the cook sick.
Burgess said that while there are multiple ways to make meth, the "Shake and Bake" or "one-pan" method is the recipe most-used now in Madison County. This cooking method produces an ammonia odor 10 times stronger than cat urine, he said.
With the Shake and Bake method, all chemicals are placed in a 2-liter soda bottle. It takes fewer cold pills than other methods, which require large quantities. With the need for fewer pills, cooks are able to more easily get around strict regulations limiting the purchase of over-the-counter cold medicines that contain pseudoephedrine. It was because of the onslaught of cooks purchasing the pills that legislation mandated all pharmacies keep records of who was making such purchases and how much they were buying.
With this method, the pills are crushed, combined with household chemicals and shaken together in the soda bottle. No flame is needed to cook the ingredients.
If meth is being cooked in a home, windows might be covered to prevent others from seeing what's going on, Burgess said.
There also could be steady vehicle traffic at various times of day if people are coming to the location to purchase doses of meth, but not always.
"The cook will sometimes make a batch and take it to a customer," said Riley.
It is also reported that sometimes, people who cook or use meth have tell-tale chemical burn sores on their skin. Heavy meth use can also cause a degradation of tooth enamel, leading to decay. There can be a rapid change in personal appearance even during the course of a month, Meeker said.
"Sometimes, they can look like a completely different person," Meeker said.
"I don't understand why anyone would want to put that stuff in their body," Riley said.
An anonymous drug reporting tip line routes calls to the proper local authorities: 1-800-GIVE-TIP or 1-800-448-3847.
All state and local police agencies strongly urge anyone with a question or concern to contact them.