Liquid meth is the newest form of methamphetamine that is reported to be surfacing throughout many areas in the United States. Manufacturers of this highly toxic drug are beginning to dissolve meth in water in order to liquefy the drug; the reason that liquid meth is quickly becoming popular with many of the individuals who are meth dealers, is because it had made transporting the toxic drug so much easier. Individuals who produce meth will often place this liquid form of the drug into various different types of liquor bottles, which are regularly seen at various different ports of entry. Once the liquid meth has passed inspection and been shipped to its destination, individuals will then boil away the water; thus, only the solid form of meth will remain.
Liquid meth is also being applied to paper, and is sometimes sent through packages in the U.S. mail. Illinois law enforcement officials discovered this recently while investigating a suspicious package that had been sent through the postal service; after a thorough search of the package was completed, the officers reported finding sheets of paper that appeared to have had liquid meth applied to them. After doing the initial lab test in order to positively identify their findings, the officers concluded that methamphetamine users could easily tear off a piece of this meth laced paper and put it into their mouth in order to be able to get the drug into their system.
Liquid meth has been reported to be stronger than any of the other forms of methamphetamine that is currently available on the street; this information about liquid meth was derived from meth users who often act as drug informers to law enforcement in an effort to minimize or eliminate their pending drug charges. Several informants in the state of Montana have told law enforcement officers that liquid meth was much "better" than any of the other forms of methamphetamine that they had ever used before. Law enforcement officials in the southern portion of the United States were so concerned about getting the word out about liquid meth, that they put together a flyer about it, in the hopes that police officers in other parts of the U.S. will begin to be on the lookout for it.
Although very little is known about liquid meth, the Alabama Department of Forensic Science set out to find out more about what goes into making this form of methamphetamine; this was accomplished by dissolving a sample of liquid meth that had been sent to their lab. Their findings indicated that liquid meth was made from a substance named Terofun (Pseudoephedrine HCL), which is commonly found in pill form. The rest of the ingredients can be purchased at the local grocery or pharmacy; additionally, the lab technicians discovered that it would only take minutes to make a batch of liquid meth, and just over ten minutes to cook it up. Liquid meth has already become extremely popular in the eastern part of Europe, and officials in that country have reported that this form of methamphetamine is much stronger than any other form of the drug.
Liquid meth, like all of the other forms of methamphetamine, has been reported to create a number of toxic effects in the users body, that could include but are not limited to athetosis, which is a condition that is generally characterized by tremors and involuntary spasms that often occur automatically in the body; additionally, other toxic effects of liquid meth often include chest pain and high blood pressure, which could potentially result in irreversible damage to the brain or the heart. Other more common side effects of liquid meth include dilated pupils, extreme irritability, talking incessantly, disturbance in sleep patterns, extreme nervousness, and an increase in body temperature, which is commonly referred to as hyperthermia. Other long-term negative effects of liquid meth may include, but are not be limited to, damage to many of the major organs of the body, including the kidneys, liver, and the lungs; additionally, liquid meth has been reported to cause panic, paranoia, repetitive behavior patterns, and could make the user begin to feel homicidal or suicidal.
Although liquid meth has not yet exploded onto the U.S. drug scene, what little we know about this form of the illicit stimulant is beyond frightening; thus, law enforcement and border officials across this country are on high alert for individuals who are in possession of liquid meth. Numerous arrests have already been made, in an attempt to eliminate the distribution of liquid meth; Law Enforcement officers in many areas throughout the U.S. and Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) Officers at the borders have seized huge amount of the drugs, and several examples are listed below: