So you think you live next to a Meth Dealer...

[Instant=.40cal=Karma]

Long since coming back to Indiana, I have been living out in BFE. Much to my dismay, the comforts of living in the country aren't so comfortable anymore. The ideas of seclusion, peace, and quiet are no longer. When you know deep down that your neighbors are selling, if not also manufacturing illegal drugs not more than 80 yards away from you.

You could think that something's amiss, but then again, maybe you're just being paranoid. Isn't it normal for a family of four to have cars, trucks and choppers with persons of almost every background constantly streaming in and out their driveway. Should you assume that a wife/gf that doesn't work and father that grinds day shift factory job be able to afford a few Harley's, 4-wheelers for two young boys and snowmobiles for their friends? Isn't it also commonplace to have a tall fenced-in yard with Pitbulls, blacked out mobile home windows, and an overflowing garbage dumpster most days of the week? Is it odd that nearly every time you walk by his neighbors adjacent property with your dogs that you are confronted by an agitated individual "informing" you of where his property line lies? Doesn't something smell fishy? Possibly, if your nose could actually pinpoint that godawfull smell that comes and goes like a fart in the wind, although lately you're catching this strange but odious aroma less and less often.

When does paying too much attention to your neighbors start to make you obsessive? Do you go to the local cop shop and file a report? Do keep a camera handy and spy on them? Do you take notes on every vehicle when possible and keep descriptions of people that you see frequently visit?

I'm not an LEO / DEA / FBI by any means, but I do have 1st hand experience in the "trade". Seems like he's got red flags flying all over, what does it take to have a situation like this "looked into"?

Looking for some input here people... What steps can you take without putting you and/or your family at risk?

 

[Bigum1969]

I really don't know jack crap about this stuff, but the constant stream of cars coming and going is a dead giveaway that you might have a drug problem next to you.

I don't really know the best way to handle it. Maybe a LEO from INGO can chime in with some advice. Good luck.

 

[Bill of Rights]

I would say that you could find a pay phone and make an anonymous call just to pass the word that there may be a problem. I'd suggest finding a motel in town for a few days, though, after you do. Stray bullets can mess up your whole day.

Blessings,
Bill

 

[Benny]

Sounds like a pretty crappy situation to me.

I'd probably just mind my own business...I know that crap can explode if mixed wrong, but 80 yards sounds like a big enough space between houses that you shouldn't have to worry about it...

Can you smell anything? I heard that sh*t stinks.

More than likely it will catch up to them soon enough.

 

[public servant]

Call the State Police....immediately. Tell them you believe your neighbor is running a meth lab.

 

[NateIU10]

Call the State Police....immediately. Tell them you believe your neighbor is running a meth lab.

yup

 

[tyler34]

yeah they won't be getting out anytime soon if they are cooking meth.

 

[Archbishop]

CALL! If they are selling drugs they are bringing people into your area that you don't want. You have the risk that bullets could start flying at anytime. Who's to say that you would be safe in your home from hot lead? The faster that you can get rid of them the better.

 

[42769vette]

not to mention if someone has to do a robbery to get there meth fix the likley target would be the closest

 

[Turtle]

IMO Let em blow themselves up. Snitching is wrong. But hey its your karma.

 

[antdog/zook]

if it is on your conscious enough, make the call. never know all the particulars though? guy could be rebuilding wrecks (cars & bikes)? the woman....strips or works 3rd shift? kids could have bought these quads with money they made working(shoveling snow/helping farm)? extra snowmobiles could be there from friends storing them? same with the harleys? hell, could have inherited the land/money? the traffic is only thing would bother me. i dont know what a methlab smells like, but have heard they can explode which would be 1st concern.
you just never know, they could be the nicest people for miles around you? i had neighbors thinking i was doing wrong after my fire. "that is a methlab" "he lives there with his grandma and doesnt work" im a realistic person and from outside looking in, it could look like i was doing wrong , but i was working alot, had a couple different girlfriends at the time, couple nice cars/bikes. now if they had known anything for certain, my dad kept motorhome here, came by in different cars he has had for years(original owner 69 gto/68 corvette/his custom truck he bought new) any 1 of these could be here everyday, as my dad came over to walk my "pittbull" 1 of my friends kept 2 motorcycles here as his garage was being built. original honkeys bike and truck were here that summer as he and his family had sold their house and hand not moved into new house yet. was helping another friend do a trans job on his busa. dad also had his 71 h1 here for years. i just see it as normal, alot of vehicles for just the few people that came here, but wasnt cool to have friends calling me saying they read this or that on indystar.com. i live alone now, as i did then, but neighbors around me dont approach me to talk, and im not a very social person either, so......let them believe what they want is how i look at it now.
you just never know til you either get to know the person, or just flatout ask?

 

[Chefcook]

I generally keep to myself and mind my own business. I would not call the police unless I actually witnessed an illegal act. You obviously don't really know these people or what their possible means of income could be. Hell they could have a porn site on the internet and be making $1000's a week you just don't know. And to be honest unless you were to actually witness an illegal act its none of your business. I for one if I found out one of my neighbors was spying on me or spreading rumors based on passive perceptions I would not take kindly to it... (Man how's he got all that stuff, bikes and snowmobiles, cars and stuff. He only got a factory job and his ole lady aint even workin.) Sounds to me that unless you actually know something you should mind your own business. Ya know he might live in BFE for the same reasons as you for a little privacy and space to be left alone...

 

[Richard]

It's easy to say "mind your own business" when it's not really your problem, but it's awful hard for someone to try to raise a family next to a drug house.

As a libertarian I generally don't care what sort of substance you eat, drink, snort, sniff, inject or stuff up your @$$, that's none of my business and I honestly do not care if you destroy yourself or your family.

But as a father raising a family of my own I do care what happens in & around my homestead, so if you try to set up a drug house next door to my family, I'll have the Sheriff out to investigate any & everything suspicious I see, every chance I get.

I'll take photos of every visiting vehicle, I'll video every encounter, I'll liberate your trash barrels & dig through them documenting any & all evidence of illegal activities.

Set up a drug house next to me & I'll make your business my business.

 

[Hotdoger]

Is it odd that nearly every time you walk by his neighbors adjacent property with your dogs that you are confronted by an agitated individual "informing" you of where his property line lies?

I think he has statred it and now needs a follow up. A visit to the local sheriff is in order and would consider being armed on your property at all times. Open carrying may agitate the situation but should not be ruled out.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

If it's possible...

Perhaps you could buy a case of beer and take over there as a "I think we may have gotten off on the wrong foot" gesture?

Not only could it serve to smooth things over, but might also serve as a recon mission...lol

I'd also look into contacting the state police (not the locals...state!). If you're going to do that, you'll want to have DOCUMENTED dates, times, players, vehicle descriptions/tags, etc etc. You should be able to achieve all of that without letting on that "you're watching".

Be careful. Be prepared to eat crow if you're wrong, too.

-J-

-J-

 

[Joe Williams]

It's easy to say "mind your own business" when it's not really your problem, but it's awful hard for someone to try to raise a family next to a drug house.

As a libertarian I generally don't care what sort of substance you eat, drink, snort, sniff, inject or stuff up your @$$, that's none of my business and I honestly do not care if you destroy yourself or your family.

But as a father raising a family of my own I do care what happens in & around my homestead, so if you try to set up a drug house next door to my family, I'll have the Sheriff out to investigate any & everything suspicious I see, every chance I get.

I'll take photos of every visiting vehicle, I'll video every encounter, I'll liberate your trash barrels & dig through them documenting any & all evidence of illegal activities.

Set up a drug house next to me & I'll make your business my business.

And I would tell the Sheriff not to set foot on my property again without a warrant, sue him if he did and pursue criminal civil rights violations complaints. I would sue the department to find out who was defaming me and filing false police reports. If you trespassed and stole my property (trash barrels) I would hold you at gunpoint until the police showed up. If I continued to catch you trespassing I would fear for my family's life. If you persisted in being a peeping tom and following my wife and kids around videoing them, I would try to get help from the legal system first, but failing that, I would again act to protect my wife and kids from the threat to their safety.

IOW... if I were your neighbor, and you refused to let me live my life because of your paranoia and unfounded suspicions, and insisted on committing criminal acts against me and my family, the situtation would quickly become extremely volatile.

 

[Joe Williams]

If it's possible...

Perhaps you could buy a case of beer and take over there as a "I think we may have gotten off on the wrong foot" gesture?

Not only could it serve to smooth things over, but might also serve as a recon mission...lol

I'd also look into contacting the state police (not the locals...state!). If you're going to do that, you'll want to have DOCUMENTED dates, times, players, vehicle descriptions/tags, etc etc. You should be able to achieve all of that without letting on that "you're watching".

Be careful. Be prepared to eat crow if you're wrong, too.

-J-

-J-

And be prepared to defend a lawsuit for defamation and harrassment, also. If if you are able to successfully defend yourself, the cost can be destructive. Heck, for all you know, they are able to afford all the cool toys on the winnings from the last nosy neighbor.

 

[Richard]

Joe,

I'll take the side of the law abiding family man's rights over the operators of the illegal drug lab's rights any day of the week.

 

[Joe Williams]

Joe,

I'll take the side of the law abiding family man's rights over the operators of the illegal drug lab's rights any day of the week.

Sure. But you'd best be able to prove what you are saying if you plan on harrassing the heck out of someone who is liable to just be a redneck wanting to mind their own business, or THEY become the law abiding family man defending against the nutjob next door!

 

[Richard]

Sure. But you'd best be able to prove what you are saying if you plan on harrassing the heck out of someone who is liable to just be a redneck wanting to mind their own business, or THEY become the law abiding family man defending against the nutjob next door!

Well that'd really depend on what sorts of suspicious activities led the homeowner to believe that their new neighbors were running a drug lab wouldn't it?

I am running with the assumption that the OP's description is accurate & truthful, so I'd say the chances are probably better than 50-50 that his neighbors are over there cooking up meth.

While it's not conclusive proof, it's good enough to alert law enforcement & to continue investigate the matter until it is known/resolved one way or the other IMHO.