news@dailylobo.com
After a day of investigation, UNM’s Police Department found that an anonymous report about a possible meth lab at Lobo Village turned out to be false.
UNMPD Operations Lieutenant Trace Peck said an anonymous caller reported the possibility of a meth lab in a Lobo Village apartment last night. Peck said UNMPD asked the help of Albuquerque Police Department’s drug unit to investigate the scene later that night.
“We got a call last night from anonymous caller about chemicals in one of the apartments,” he said. “The caller was concerned that it could possibly be a meth lab. Officers responded down to Lobo Village and were able to get inside the apartment.”
Peck said police found a set of chemicals in the apartment where the meth lab was alleged to be housed. But he said APD’s drug unit did not find evidence that the chemicals were mixed to make meth.
“They did observe some chemicals sitting on the kitchen counter, but they have not been used,” he said. “They were just in bottles and were just in plain view. These were chemicals that you could buy in any hardware store.”
Peck said one of the chemicals observed at the scene was iodine but he declined to give more examples.
Although the drug unit concluded that there was not a meth lab in the apartment, the unit is still investigating the found chemicals.
“They came out and said that none of these ingredients are used to make meth,” Peck said. “Whatever they’re going to do with these aren’t to make meth or whatsoever. They’re going to do some investigation about what else those chemicals could possibly be used for.”
Peck said UNMPD has identified who was living in the apartment where the chemicals were found. But he said police will not name the suspect, who Peck said was “not a student,” until they finish their investigation.
Peck said UNMPD does not know when investigation on the incident will conclude.
At the moment, the suspect does not face any criminal charges, Peck said.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
“It definitely was not a meth lab. So there’s not going to be any charges for any kind of methamphetamine,” he said. “They probably violated some type of Lobo Village policy.”
This is the first time UNMPD has received a report about the possibility of a meth lab at Lobo Village, Peck said. He said the situation was an “isolated incident that we don’t do on a daily basis,” and that UNMPD has received no other similar reports around UNM.
Peck said he advises students to be more aware of their surroundings and to report any suspicious activity around campus.
“If you see something, say something,” he said. “Be proactive.”
The Daily Lobo was unable to get comment from Lobo Village at press time.
