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Flushing drugs down toilet could create dangerous ‘meth-gators’, US police warn

  • Authorities issue warning in Tennessee town after suspect tries to dispose of methamphetamine in bathroom
  • Chemicals end up in water treatment ponds and could affect geese, ducks and other animals, police say

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An alligator named Muja in its enclosure in Belgrade's Zoo in Serbia in August 2018. Photo: Reuters

Be careful not to flush drugs down the toilet: they may intoxicate ducks and geese, or worse, turn alligators into dangerous “meth-gators”.

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The warning was issued by police in the town of Loretto, Tennessee, after a suspect tried to dispose of the stimulant methamphetamine via a commode.

Pure methamphetamine in rock form, known as ice, photographed at the DEA's North Central Laboratory in Chicago in March 2018. Photo: TNS
Pure methamphetamine in rock form, known as ice, photographed at the DEA's North Central Laboratory in Chicago in March 2018. Photo: TNS

“Folks … please don’t flush your drugs m’kay,” the department said on Facebook, warning that they would end up in “retention ponds for processing”.

“Geese, and other fowl frequent our treatment ponds and we shudder to think what one all hyped up on meth would do,” it said.

“Furthermore, if it made it far enough we could create meth-gators in Shoal Creek and the Tennessee River down in North Alabama.”

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