Meth waste dumped downtown – Trash bags found behind Fraley?s building
Dozens of bags loaded with meth-making materials were found in the heart of downtown in a dump site almost within the shadow of the courthouse.
?This is about the biggest meth dump site I?ve ever seen,? said McMinnville Police Investigator Capt. Derwin Adcock. ?It?s not real unusual to see folks throw meth items in the trash or a dumpster, but what makes this so unusual is that it?s right downtown in a place where the people had to know they were taking a good chance of getting caught.?
The discovery was made Thursday morning after police received a tip and spotted items in the long-term trash dumpster which were consistent with meth trash. The dumpster itself is located behind the old Fraley?s building which is being remodeled to contain townhouse apartments. The dumpster was being used to hold scraps from the remodeling. The bags of meth trash had been somewhat concealed under building materials.
While the materials presented no immediate physical threat to the public seeing they were in a dumpster, Adcock said state regulations required a hazardous materials team to be brought in to dispose of the waste to prevent a potential ground water contamination should the trash be taken to a regular dump site. If caught, the dumpers would, at minimum, face illegal dumping charges.
Adcock said additional charges would also likely be lodged if the owners of the trash are found. There are no suspects at this time but lawmen are combing the trash to find any traces of ownership in the form of personal garbage contained with the meth garbage.
An investigation of the scene led Adcock to suspect the dumpers may have brought the meth waste in one large load. The bags did not contain any meth itself, but instead had things like used gassers, used to gas off meth during the cooking stage, and items such as striker pads, used to extract phosphorous used in the production of meth. Adcock said there were a few liquids found in the trash, most likely byproducts of meth production.