Tulsa Police Find Portable Meth Lab After Man Tosses Bag

Tulsa Police Find Portable Meth Lab After Man Tosses Bag During Stop

Tulsa Police arrested a 61-year-old man early Friday after officers say he tossed a bag containing an active portable meth lab into the grass during a pedestrian check near Admiral and Sheridan.

According to Tulsa Police, an officer spotted Darryl Riggins walking in the middle of the road while looking at his phone shortly after midnight. Police say Riggins threw a bag into the grass as the officer approached. When officers recovered it, they discovered what authorities described as an active one-pot meth lab inside.

Tulsa Police Discover Active Meth Lab Inside Bag

Tulsa Police say officers also found additional methamphetamine in Riggins' pocket during the investigation.

Because of the potentially dangerous chemicals inside the bag, officers called the department's Special Investigations Division to safely dismantle the portable methamphetamine lab.

The Tulsa Fire Department staged nearby during the operation because of the risk of fire or explosion. Authorities said several minor chemical flare-ups occurred as investigators dismantled the lab, but firefighters were able to contain them and no injuries were reported.

Once the device was neutralized, the City of Tulsa Public Works Department took custody of the hazardous chemical components for proper disposal.

Information about drug investigations and other public safety operations involving the city's police department is regularly released by Tulsa Police through the department's official public information channels.

Portable Meth Labs Remain Extremely Dangerous

Police described the device as a one-pot meth lab, sometimes called a "shake-and-bake" lab, which allows methamphetamine to be manufactured using chemicals combined inside a portable container.

Authorities say the process is particularly dangerous because chemical reactions can create pressure and highly flammable gases inside the container. A small mistake or exposure to heat can potentially cause a sudden fire, chemical spill or explosion.

Portable meth labs have become less common in Oklahoma in recent years. Law enforcement officials credit part of that decline to tighter restrictions on pseudoephedrine, a common ingredient in some illegal methamphetamine manufacturing operations.

The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control works with local law enforcement agencies across the state to investigate illegal drug manufacturing and trafficking, including cases involving methamphetamine production.

Suspect Faces Felony Charges And Outstanding Warrants

After the meth lab was safely dismantled, Riggins was taken to a local hospital for evaluation before being booked into the Tulsa County Jail.

Police say he faces felony charges of manufacturing a controlled dangerous substance after a felony conviction and possession of methamphetamine after a felony conviction. Authorities also said Riggins had two outstanding felony warrants at the time of his arrest.

An arrest is an allegation, not a conviction.

The case will now move through the Tulsa County criminal justice system, where formal charges and future court proceedings can be tracked through the Oklahoma State Courts Network.

While portable meth labs are now less frequently encountered by officers, Friday's discovery highlights the danger the devices can pose not only to those allegedly manufacturing drugs but also to police officers, firefighters and members of the public who may unknowingly come into contact with hazardous chemicals.

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