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Author: Subject: An interesting (probably illegal) find
Tdep
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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 01:47
An interesting (probably illegal) find


So a few people were asking on the skype chat about some things that I found at my grandma's, and perhaps a few others might find this interesting.
My grandma ran a vet practice at her place many years ago and kept many things on selves in sheds since then. She's moving out, so a lot is being uncovered (I've scored some great things so far!). This box however, is an interesting one, and one who's contents I'll probably have to destroy, as there's no way I'm keeping most of these in the lab or around my home, now way I'm making arresting me that easy.

Anyway, you never know what might turn up, chemistry is great because you can discover, collect and create!

The third photo is a small a,punt of what perhaps is a paste, labelled Morphine.

image.jpg - 1.4MB image.jpg - 1.3MB image.jpg - 1.1MB image.jpg - 1.2MB image.jpg - 1.3MB

[Edited on 3-3-2015 by Tdep]
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Darkstar
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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 02:07


LOL! Cocaine HCl, ephedrine, morphine, opium, codeine...

If you value your freedom, you should probably get rid of that stuff ASAP.
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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 02:15


What a cool find. Take some photos for posterity. Call the cops and explain what you have found and get them to collect and dispose of it properly.
There is nothing there that you actually need. And even if you were a druggie, there is nothing that you would actually want to trust.
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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 02:25


You may also want to watch out for radioactive sources. Radium needles and such.



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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 02:43


I might consider keeping the containers, but I'll just destroy the contents myself, somehow, probably just burn them somewhere and bury the ashes. Any better suggestions? Can take it into the police I guess, but they might worry I have more and such. Don't know.

Oh, except the fluorscein. I'm keeping that!

If I could get the bloody old Geiger counter working, radium would be easier to find... But yes, good suggestion, will look out for that phlogiston!
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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 02:52


The advantage of calling the Police is that from then on they know you are honest and up-front. That is a good thing.
The other advantage is that they take care of disposal tecnicalities. Maybe not an issue with this haul but more significant if you had mercury compounds for example.
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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 02:57


Possibly. Theres a police station nearby, should I just take it in? If I go in beforehand and ask, they'd probably want to come to my house yeah?

Reminds me of that time last year someone around here took a WWII hand grenade into a police station for disposal and the police station shut down the whole street, the look on the officiers face must have been priceless haha. Turns out it was dead but still, can't blame them that much for reacting like that.

[Edited on 3-3-2015 by Tdep]
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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 03:23


Again, let them take the trouble to come and collect it. It makes it seem like you don't even want to touch it. You can give a time when you will be home. Make an appointment. Make them jump to your tune. Make some coffee. Make a relationship with the local force. Makes them less likely to come a-calling when your glassware order comes in -- unless they want more coffee.
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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 03:38


Indeed an amazing (but illegal) find.
I agree with going to the police with the honest story and ask them what you have to do with this stuff to get rid of it properly(don't take it with you the first time!).
If you're honest and friendly, they will probably be open to what you found and not arrest you or anything.
I personally would have the guts to ask if I could keep the containers. If you don't ask the answer will always be 'no' ;).




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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 04:46


Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1  
Again, let them take the trouble to come and collect it. It makes it seem like you don't even want to touch it. You can give a time when you will be home. Make an appointment. Make them jump to your tune. Make some coffee. Make a relationship with the local force. Makes them less likely to come a-calling when your glassware order comes in -- unless they want more coffee.



LSum...

You are an incredibly bright fella. I look forward to reading your posts every day.

But THIS?

You're gonna get the cops high, and there gonna come around "jonesin'" for more.

In MY world, the only time you ever call the cops is NEVER!!!!

Hello Sir! May we come inside for a moment?
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Do you mind answering a few quick questions sir/ YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

What's that behind your back sir?
NOTHINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!

Just sayin' :D

That is a super cool find Jy. Sadly tho, you do have to destroy the contents.
I find it a sad state of affairs when you have to destroy a piece of history, that was only ever intended to be of help. My mother was also a Vet, and dog breeder.
When she passed the State police, and a Rep. from the DEA showed up to sort thru her "stores", and haul off whatever thy deemed "Controlled / Dangerous.
Tens of thousands of dollars worth of supplies... gone. My sister called them.

Nice world we made for ourselves...

[Edited on 3-3-2015 by Zombie]




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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 04:57


@ zombie
There may be some regional and cultural issues at play here. In my experience in my part of the world the cops have been nothing but professional and courteous and open to reasonable conversation. It wasn't too many months ago that I and my neighbours had occasion to dial emergency regarding a fracas that was happening in the street outside my place. Within minutes we had six sets of flashing lights outside our place and ten guys in uniform. We also had two guys in cuffs and nothing moved until they got to the bottom of things. When they did it was found that it was mostly a combination of intoxication and misunderstanding. They had interviewed a bunch of people and took appropriate action without prosecuting.
Tdep lives in the same country as me. I know there are exceptions and errors, but by and large I don't think there is much reason to be cagey with the cops. When they err it tends to be on the side of doing nothing rather than excessive prosecution.

Thanks for the compliment btw.
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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 05:05




Your story is one the police will certainly understand in any part of the world, and will not give you any problems. It's like similar stories where a parent dies and the children find WWI/II ordinance in the house. Is homeland security going to arrest them for it? No.

I would take it to them, though.

[Edited on 3-3-2015 by Loptr]
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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 05:08


Any time sir!

Credit where credit is due!!!

In New York City, or the DEEP south... cops are similar to pit bulls. No one wants them packing up on their front porch.
I am dramatizing (of course) but the point remains. If drunks are gonna kill each other in the street, the broom guy will take care of it in the morning No need for 1/2 dozen guys with guns playing with drunk fellas.

We tend to take care of our own issues, and leave the cops to play w/ the politicians.




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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 06:18


The containers are valuable, people buy and sell them on Ebay often, empty. The boxes that they came in would also be valuable. I would make every effort to open them carefully and dispose of the contents by flushing them down the drain, or dump them into a container, mix with kitty litter or other trash and put in the garbage. People throw out old medicines all of the time. Wear gloves for the work. If you are really worried about the best way to dispose, ask a local pharmacist, they are licensed to handle drugs, so they will know the current laws, likely better than the police. Many drugs stores even have an old drug disposal collection day occasionally.
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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 06:23


Quote: Originally posted by Dr.Bob  
The containers are valuable, people buy and sell them on Ebay often, empty. The boxes that they came in would also be valuable. I would make every effort to open them carefully and dispose of the contents by flushing them down the drain, or dump them into a container, mix with kitty litter or other trash and put in the garbage. People throw out old medicines all of the time. Wear gloves for the work. If you are really worried about the best way to dispose, ask a local pharmacist, they are licensed to handle drugs, so they will know the current laws, likely better than the police. Many drugs stores even have an old drug disposal collection day occasionally.


This is a good point. It's not like they are hazardous materials. No evidence of illegal activities (perceived or otherwise), no problem. Not that this is an illegal activity.

People do collect these sorts of things. My dad being one of them. (He loves old glass bottles)
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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 06:25


Here in Dallas cops are mostly assholes, they suspect the person(s) who called them about as much as the person who got reported.
I don't know much about Australian coppers but I would not involve them AT ALL. If you had drugs in you're house for years and may or may not have found all of them chances are they're going to want to search the rest of the house. Even though it's you who called them them just the fact that there where drugs and could be more may be a good enough cause to let them get a search warrant.
What I would do is destroy them, and tell nobody you're a chemist, that'll be easy.
Or you could save them for a rainy day:D




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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 08:05


In the United States, the police do not exist to "serve and protect". They exist to gather evidence that the public prosecutor can use against you. Under no circumstances should you inform the authorities (or anyone else) of your find. If you do, you will almost certainly be clapped in irons while the cops tear your place apart looking for anything else interesting. And if they can't find anything, they'll charge you with something anyway for wasting their time, in addition to possession of controlled substances. The charges may eventually be thrown out, but not before you've spent >= $5k in legal fees.

Don't count on public authorities being reasonable and just. And it's not just in certain so-called "backward" parts of the country. I live in an upper-middle-class, mostly-white area and worse than this happens weekly.

And as Philip K. Dick said, once you come to the attention of the authorities, they never quite forget you...
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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 08:15


Do not destroy or alter the historical contents because a bunch of morons think you're going to shove them up your nose.

If discovered, that they haven't been tampered with since the paper started yellowing should be a formidable defense.




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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 08:45


Quote: Originally posted by Morkva  
Do not destroy or alter the historical contents because a bunch of morons think you're going to shove them up your nose.

If discovered, that they haven't been tampered with since the paper started yellowing should be a formidable defense.


Unfortunately, there is no grandfather defense for controlled substances. That won't work if you are found out.

One way to look at it is a lot of people have drugs in their homes. How many of them are caught? Is keeping these worth your freedom?

It's up to you. I doubt they would ever cause you trouble, to be honest. You could also possibly donate them to a museum.
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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 08:47


My previous post hit on something.

I think you should donate it to a museum.

You will not get into trouble for this.

[Edited on 3-3-2015 by Loptr]

[Edited on 3-3-2015 by Loptr]

Actually, this might not work. They would empty them most likely to put them on display, so that people wouldn't break-in to get them...

[Edited on 3-3-2015 by Loptr]

I actually have seen something like this happen before, where "antique" drugs are found. I was at an estate sale were an old doctors bag was found that contained what seemed to be methamphetamine in liquid within sealed ampoules. The police were alerted and they were taken away. They were VERY old.

[Edited on 3-3-2015 by Loptr]
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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 11:39


Somehow... why does this make me fear for you?

I suggest you simply stay out sight of the "law" rather than try to befriend it..

I agree with Aquakidney, even though certainly the view is a bit extreme. Given recent developments in the states such as the civil forfeiture law (check out John Olliver's YouTube skit on it), I would not dare do something like this.

Do what you want, but don't put yourself in the police's scope.

I would not dare let that bull rage around in your china shop.
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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 13:24


Back in the Real World, just keep it all together as it is, and decide what you want to do with it later.

Don't tell anyone about it, i mean anyone ... DOH ! Too late.

It is what it is, yet your local Laws may make it something else.

Safest bet is to take it to the local station and tell them whole story.

Ask to keep the Containers, as only the Drugs themselves are illegal.

Be prepared for them to simply take them from you, and sell them on ebay themselves.

Edit:

Take photos on top of today's newspaper (showing the date) before you take 'em in.

[Edited on 3-3-2015 by aga]




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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 13:35


After reading through this again, it would be completely within your rights to just dispose of the contents, wash out the containers, and keep the containers for yourself.

After all, what are they going to do? Arrest you for possession of antique containers that were used to contain a medicine that was legal at one point in our history, but is only considered illegal in this day and age?

Dispose of the contents as you see fit, and keep the containers. Simple enough.

Growing up here in the USA, I have heard of stories when I was a teenager of parents flushing drugs down the toilet that were discovered in their teenagers possession. This is along the same lines.

Best of Luck!
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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 13:38


A swab of any of the containers would Beep very loudly in any modern drug detection device.

How do you 'rinse' cardboard ?

Edit:

A drugs dog would also have a very waggy tail.

[Edited on 3-3-2015 by aga]

Throwing in the drugs find would possibly serve Tdep well if ever his/her Lab were ever raided.

"Isn't this one who brought in that weird collection of Everything ?"

Cops aren't that selective though, so perhaps just binning the contents (next door's bin) and ebaying the containers would be the better disposal plan.

[Edited on 3-3-2015 by aga]

[Edited on 3-3-2015 by aga]




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[*] posted on 3-3-2015 at 13:47


Quote: Originally posted by aga  
A swab of any of the containers would Beep very loudly in any modern drug detection device.

How do you 'rinse' cardboard ?

Edit:

A drugs dog would also have a very waggy tail.

[Edited on 3-3-2015 by aga]

Throwing in the drugs find would possibly serve Tdep well if ever his/her Lab were ever raided.

"Isn't this one who brought in that weird collection of Everything ?"

Cops aren't that selective though, so perhaps just binning the contents (next door's bin) and ebaying the containers would be the better disposal plan.

[Edited on 3-3-2015 by aga]

[Edited on 3-3-2015 by aga]


Are they cardboard? The pictures look like glass vials with paper labels wrapped around them.

I am sure that a lot of the items in the eBay query below would have detectable traces of drugs on them, maybe.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=antique+apothecary&...

So what say you?

The fact he has chemicals and glassware does change the situation a bit, though, which is where I am at a loss.
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