Police: Active Meth Lab Discovered In Backpack Abandoned In Walmart Bathroom

While running a successful meth lab isn’t easy even under the best circumstances — and this is coming entirely from watching Breaking Bad, obviously — keeping an active operation going in a Walmart bathroom doesn’t seem like a guarantee for success. To that end, police say they’ve discovered an active meth lab, hidden inside a backpack, abandoned in an Indiana Walmart’s bathroom.

After employees reported a suspicious backpack last night in the Walmart bathroom and alerted a local meth suppression team, state troopers were called in to investigate as well, reports WTHR.com.

Officials on the scene put on protective masks and suits to dismantle the lab and remove the chemicals. Both the men’s and women’s restrooms are now closed and will have to be thoroughly decontaminated, the health department says.

Instead of cooking meth in their home and potentially contaminating where they live or blowing up their own house, some meth cooks will apparently leave behind the explosive chemicals in public places and come back later pick up the meth when it’s done.

Often, notes WTHR, meth makers will dump their trash filled with drain cleaner bottles, over-the-counter medication blister packs, battery casings and bottles with white residue in them in alleys or vacant lots, making it dangerous for anyone who comes across them.

The Indiana State Police Meth Suppression Section is now reminding people to be aware that these traveling labs and their detritus contain chemicals that are toxic, flammable, corrosive, and acidic. They could combine and explode, or burn someone by coming into direct contact with skin, along with damaging internal organs if the fumes are breathed in.

Police are still looking for the owner of the abandoned backpack lab.

Meth lab found inside backpack in Muncie Walmart restroom [WTHR.com]

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