Anonymous - 1-28-2005 at 11:05 PM
http://www.10news.com/investigations/4133125/detail.html
Chemical Used For Making Methamphetamine
January 26, 2005
SAN DIEGO -- Banned by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1996, Freon, a chemical used for air conditioning systems in older cars, is still being
sold on the streets of San Diego. But it's not automobile shops that are necessarily interested in it -- it's drug dealers.
Freon, in liquid or gas form, is used to make methamphetamine and anyone can buy it south of the border.
10News reporter Salvador Rivera headed to Tijuana, Mexico, to find Freon. The first auto shop had it for $9 a bottle.
George Mijares said he used to make meth for a living and imported Freon was a hot commodity.
"Sometimes it's a lot much easier to get raw materials from across the border and then cook it on this side of the border," Mijares said.
Tony Ocegueda said he knows how addictive and destructive meth can be.
"(Meth) has no boundaries, age, or gender. People are starting to use it when they're younger because it's more accessible," Ocegueda said.
For example, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and meth are the most popular items smuggled across the border. Freon is second.
Asst. U.S. Attorney Valerie Pierson prosecutes people who smuggle Freon and said it has become a real problem.
"The crime is to bring it across the border and sell it, knowing it's actually been unlawfully imported," Pierson said.
Recently, two local men were convicted of smuggling large amounts of Freon and selling it on the black market.
"There's a high profit-margin involved with this stuff. They can buy it for $100 to $125 and sell it for three times as much," Pierson said.
Pierson said she hopes Freon smuggling will be tougher next year when it also becomes illegal to sell in Mexico.
Also, a Florida man was sentence to 17 years in prison for smuggling Freon into the country. He was also ordered to pay millions in fines as a result
of his conviction.
woody with a view - 1-28-2005 at 11:16 PM
seems there was a previous thread regarding this topic.
12-27-2004 "freon smuggler pleads guilty"
don't know how to post the link to that thread but a search of "freon" will suffice.