botanicalSEEKER Posted June 19, 2011 POLICE want to restrict Bunnings and similar stores selling some chemical products to smash illegal drug laboratories. Senior officers will talk to hardware, supermarket and garden-store chains to limit the sale of drain cleaners, acids and fertilisers used on lawns. Customers might have to show a driver's licence and have their details logged on a database, as is the case when buying pseudoephedrine-based cold and flu tablets from chemists. Other ideas being discussed include a code of conduct for retailers or displaying the restricted items in cages or out of reach. WA Police this week busted the 87th drug lab for the year a dramatic increase on 58 clandestine laboratories uncovered in homes and cars in the first six months of last year. Det-Sen-Sgt Glenn Swannell, of the Organised Crime Squad, said police were considering measures ranging from a voluntary code of conduct for retailers to legislating and restricting items under Misuse of Drugs regulations. Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar. End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar. Newsletter Signup "It's something that we're investigating to see if it can reap any rewards for us," he told The Sunday Times. A spokesman for Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan said he would await full details of the proposal before any decision is made. But retired superintendent David Parkinson praised the proposed crackdown on the sale of fertilisers and chemicals used in the manufacture of amphetamines. His daughter, Stacee, lived next door to a home drug lab in Carlisle that exploded in March and left Mr O'Callaghan's son, Russell, with horrific burns. "I think it's a no-brainer really about having to register," Mr Parkinson said. "What extra strain would it be on the staff? "It's for the greater good of the community." Senior police have discussed moves to restrict the sale of ammonia-based fertilisers, caustic soda and sulfuric or battery acid all commonly used to "cook" drugs with bosses at the State Government's ChemCentre, which carries out forensic and drug testing for the force. They will meet retailers next. Dominic Reynolds, head of illicit drugs at the ChemCentre, said the common products were found at "every lab we go to". Of the plans to restrict availability, he said: "It will maybe mean having (these items) in a cage where someone's got to ask for it, much like they do with spray cans, (or) showing a driver's licence before purchase. "People have a genuine use for (the items), but we're trying to make it a little bit harder for those who really shouldn't be getting them. "It's time we actually looked at slowing down the amount of labs that we have rather than just trying to deal with the ones that are popping up every day." Dr Reynolds said ammonia-based fertilisers included some used for lawns and gardens. Caustic soda was used for cleaning drains or as a paint stripper, while sulfuric acid, or battery acid, was used in car batteries.The sale of some cold and flu tablets which can be used to produce methamphetamines is already recorded on an online database as part of the Project STOP initiative. Det-Sen-Sgt Swannell said a Strikeforce Remedy operation had proved successful in targeting pharmacy burglaries and limiting the amount of pseudoephedrine destined for drug labs. Six additional officers will join the organised crime team to help process the growing number of lab discoveries. Dr Reynolds said WA was experiencing a "much greater increase" in lab discoveries than other states, with 133 uncovered last year and 125 in 2009 up from 24 in 2008."The equipment tends to be homemade it's not glassware and condensers like you might imagine, it's things like jerry cans, buckets and jam jars," he said. "(People are) typically making small amounts, like one or two grams, so instead of making a big batch once a month or so, they're probably making it several times a week. "You've got extremely high concentrations of flammable gas building up inside a house or car, and something like LPG only needs a small spark for it to go up. That's why we've seen these explosions over the past two or three years happening across Perth." A spokesman for Bunnings said the company would not comment about discussions with police. Telltale signs for neighbours: The strong smell of ammonia gas, LPG or solvents Discarded packets of pseudo ephedrine-based medication White, caustic soda-based residue tpped down drains or dumped in bucket in backyards of laneways Report any suspicious activity to CrimeStoppers on 1300 333 000 (source: WA Police) source:http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/drug-factories-on-your-doorstep/story-e6frg13u-1226077592664 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qualia Posted June 19, 2011 ugh. step by step, day by day, freedoms slowly being eroded. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alice Posted June 19, 2011 SO if you have to ask to buy something in a cage, could they refuse because you look like you are a drug cook? WTF does a drug cook even look like? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bread Filter Posted June 19, 2011 WTF does a drug cook even look like? 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scientician Posted June 19, 2011 (edited) Ha Ha. Good one Bread Filter. Edited June 19, 2011 by muskrat Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alice Posted June 19, 2011 Haha, good call. Walter only looked badass after he shaved his head Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mycot Posted June 19, 2011 Drowning in a sea of regulation for an unwinable war. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shortly Posted June 19, 2011 All it will do is inconvenience the general public & if the cops think the cost of recording all that data for them wont be passed straight onto the consumer its no wonder they're not winning since they are obviously deluded. Wasn't it oceans of regulation a bloated public service & depletion of resources that toppled Rome? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WoodDragon Posted June 19, 2011 One day they'll have to put petrol bowsers in cages, and brown paper bags in cages, and water taps in cages, because each of these can be used to get high. If the drug-use paradigm was completely changed, we wouldn't need so much useless regulation, enforcement, conviction and imprisonment, and we'd have better health and safety outcomes. The conservative curtain-shufflers would evaporate in horror, of course, but quite frankly we don't need them in our society anyway. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
applesnail Posted June 19, 2011 (edited) damn those junkies can get there oxycodone by a simple Dr prescription and sell em amongst one another, easier then i will be able to buy draino to unblock my sink! gotta love the system..if there is ever lazy ridiculous laws being made this will be one of them! wonder if the demineralised water will be under lock and key or they may put a dye in it, just like the QLD methylated spirits! Edited June 19, 2011 by applesnail Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyAmine. Posted June 19, 2011 (edited) Nope they wont take the demineralised water away, because thats what they used to replace the distilled water they took off the shelf's few years ago.. Edited June 19, 2011 by AndyAmine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mac Posted June 19, 2011 (edited) Back in my days you could go out & shoot a rabbit for tea , buy yourself some sandpaper thinners & spray paint to flash up your bmx or dragster without a parent or ID The only die you saw in metho was the red cordial the local drunk used to add to taste couple of dets in the cement mixer to give her her yearly clean out, or that stick of P_owergel they found in the old mans shed to get that pesky tree stump in the yard out of the ground & on to the shed roof Oh Well - Orwel Edited June 19, 2011 by mac Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
