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Meth Lab Found in Walmart Bathroom

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Police say an “active meth lab” was found inside a backpack in the men’s restroom at a Walmart in Muncie, Ind., Thursday night, according to a news release from the state police department.

While the Pendleton District Meth Suppression Team dismantled the meth lab and got the chemicals out of the store, the men’s and women’s restrooms would still need to be “thoroughly decontaminated” before customers could use them again, police said.

In the statement, Indiana State Police said this strategy of cooking meth is not uncommon:

Rather than the Meth cook blowing up or contaminating their house, they are now often leaving behind the deadly explosive chemicals in public places to return later to get the finished product. They will often times dump their trash, which includes Sudafed blister packs; Liquid Fire drain cleaner bottles, battery casings, and plastic drink bottles with white residue in the bottom, in rural or desolate areas, or in alleys or vacant lots.

What America's War on Drugs Looked Like in 1969

A U.S. Customs agent points his gun at a car suspected of transporting marijuana, 1969.
A U.S. Customs agent points his gun at a car suspected of transporting marijuana, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
U.S. Customs agents tailing a suspected drug smuggler, 1969.
U.S. Customs agents tailing a suspected drug smuggler, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Scene from U.S. Customs' anti-drug smuggling effort, "Operation Intercept," along the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.
Scene from U.S. Customs' anti-drug smuggling effort, "Operation Intercept," along the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Drug bust outside of San Antonio, Texas, part of U.S. Customs' "Operation Intercept," 1969.
Drug bust outside of San Antonio, Texas, part of U.S. Customs' "Operation Intercept," 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Scene from U.S. Customs' anti-drug smuggling effort, "Operation Intercept," along the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.
Scene from U.S. Customs' anti-drug smuggling effort, "Operation Intercept," along the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
The U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.
The U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Scene from U.S. Customs' anti-drug smuggling effort, "Operation Intercept," along the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.
Scene from U.S. Customs' anti-drug smuggling effort, "Operation Intercept," along the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Scene from U.S. Customs' anti-drug smuggling effort, "Operation Intercept," along the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.
Scene from U.S. Customs' anti-drug smuggling effort, "Operation Intercept," along the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Scene from U.S. Customs' anti-drug smuggling effort, "Operation Intercept," along the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.
Scene from U.S. Customs' anti-drug smuggling effort, "Operation Intercept," along the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
The U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.
The U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Scene from U.S. Customs' anti-drug smuggling effort, "Operation Intercept," along the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.
Scene from U.S. Customs' anti-drug smuggling effort, "Operation Intercept," along the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Scene from U.S. Customs' anti-drug smuggling effort, "Operation Intercept," along the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.
Scene from U.S. Customs' anti-drug smuggling effort, "Operation Intercept," along the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Scene from U.S. Customs' anti-drug smuggling effort, "Operation Intercept," along the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.
Scene from U.S. Customs' anti-drug smuggling effort, "Operation Intercept," along the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
The U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.
The U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Scene at the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.
Scene at the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Suspected drug smugglers searched at the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.
Suspected drug smugglers searched at the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Scene at the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.
Scene at the U.S.-Mexico border, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Customs agents, Texas, 1969.
Customs agents, Texas, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Customs agents, Texas, 1969.
Customs agents, Texas, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Customs agents, Texas, 1969.
Customs agents, Texas, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Customs agents with suspected drug smugglers, Falcon Lake, Texas, 1969.
Customs agents with suspected drug smugglers, Falcon Lake, Texas, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
At sunset, Customs agents, armed with shotguns, scour the darkening waters of Falcon Lake, Texas -- a favorite border-crossing point for smugglers.
Caption from LIFE. At sunset, Customs agents, armed with shotguns, scour the darkening waters of Falcon Lake, Texas -- a favorite border-crossing point for smugglers.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
U.S. Customs agents in a car filled with seized marijuana.
U.S. Customs agents in a car filled with seized marijuana.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
U.S. Customs agent, 1969.
U.S. Customs agent, 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
U.S. Customs agents unload seized marijuana.
U.S. Customs agents unload seized marijuana.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
U.S. Customs agents in a car filled with seized marijuana.
U.S. Customs agents in a car filled with seized marijuana.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
U.S. Customs agent in a room filled with seized marijuana.
U.S. Customs agent in a room filled with seized marijuana.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
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Caption from LIFE. A 500-pound cache of confiscated marijuana is removed from warehouse-like storage vault in San Diego, then burned in raging furnace, one brick at a time." (See last image in gallery.)Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
U.S. Customs agents with seized marijuana.
U.S. Customs agents with seized marijuana.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Room filled with seized marijuana, San Diego, Calif., 1969.
Room filled with seized marijuana, San Diego, Calif., 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images
Seized marijuana burns in a furnace, San Diego, Calif., 1969.
Seized marijuana burns in a furnace, San Diego, Calif., 1969.Co Rentmeester—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

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Write to Olivia B. Waxman at olivia.waxman@time.com