It’s a landlord’s worst nightmare – you walk into your rental property only to discover that your renters aren’t what they seemed. Baggies, bowls, garbage – bottles of liquid and dust everywhere. Your rental property looks less like a home than a flophouse. You suspect a possible Fentanyl Drug Lab.
If you think there is something wrong, there probably is. Rental properties across the country are being used as distribution centers and production labs by entrepreneuring drug dealers. Labs come in all shapes and sizes, from cluttered one-room live-ins to empty townhomes. Because no one advertises a drug lab, it can be difficult for a landlord to feel certain that their suspicions are true. Here are some things to look for, but in the end, you should always trust your gut.
- Covered windows
- Drugs or suspicious drug-like substances
- Large machines
- Unusual trash
- Pill casings
- Chemicals
- Baggies
- Scales
If you have discovered a drug lab, it is becoming increasingly likely that you might have just stumbled on a fentanyl lab. There is no safe way for you to check if your rental property is being used to produce drugs on your own. For your safety, and for the safety of those around you, do not attempt to verify your suspicions. Take the following steps immediately – it is better to be wrong and safe than right when it comes to fentanyl – every time.
Vacate the Property
The first thing you should do is vacate the property. If there are individuals on the property who you believe may be involved with the lab do not attempt to engage them. Do not touch anything. Fentanyl can be absorbed dermally and can cause serious health complications in very small doses.
Call 911
Contact 911, tell the operator the address of the house and let them know that you believe that the home may be a drug lab. If you know for sure or have been told by sources you believe to be reliable that it is a fentanyl lab say so. Stay with your operator until someone has arrived.
Seek Medical Attention
If you believe you or someone else may have been exposed to fentanyl or chemicals used in the production of fentanyl, or any other drug, make sure you let a police officer or medical responder know. Timely treatment is key to preventing overdose and other serious health effects.
Stay Out Of The Way
After the responders have arrived and you have spoken with them, follow their directions. Do not remain in the area unless asked to do so. Drug labs are not safe and no amount of rubbernecking is worth risking your health over.
There is no such thing as a safe drug lab. The best way to ensure your safety, and the safety of others, is to contact 911 immediately. Do not attempt to identify or otherwise handle any substances found in the house.
If testing determines that your rental property has been used to produce fentanyl or other drugs do not attempt to clean the property yourself. Mayken is an industry leader in fentanyl drug lab clean up and can help you restore your rental property safely. Contact us online or by phone at 403-272-1995.
