As many as 20 percent of all meth labs are discovered when a fire breaks out or an explosion occurs and that’s exactly how Rock Hill law enforcement was alerted to a meth lab at a local motel. Meth ‘chef’ Ronnie Brady was cooking meth in his Rock Hill Motel room when he set off an explosion that burned the beds and tv set.
Local police arrested Brady on drug manufacturing charges as he tried to flee the motel room. This is his third round of meth-related drug charges, according to police.
Maintaining a location for use as a meth lab, whether a home, a garage, a car or hotel room, is against the law in North Carolina. Already this year, the North Carolina House has passed a bill to increase penalties for those convicted of maintaining a meth lab. The bill prohibits anyone with a meth-related drug crime conviction from ever purchasing a product containing pseudoephedrine. Pseudoephedrine is the main ingredient involved in cooking meth and is commonly found in cold-relief products.
The bill also calls for longer prison sentences for those who maintain a meth lab in a place also occupied by a vulnerable person. A vulnerable person includes a child, an elderly adult or disabled individual.
There are substantial dangers associated with operating a meth lab, including fires and explosions. In addition to these headline-making dangers, Meth labs produce toxic gases such as phosphorus, anhydrous gases and methanol, to name a few.
North Carolina cleaned up over 450 meth labs in 2012, over 100 more than in 2011.
Source: WCNC, “Man charged after meth lab explodes in motel room,” April 22, 2013