CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- Illegal methamphetamine "cooks" are traipsing undetected through an unknown number of motels and hotels with covert drug-making labs -- leaving a toxic mess behind for unsuspecting customers and housekeeping crews.They are places where drug-makers can go unnoticed, mixing the chemicals needed for the highly addictive stimulant in a matter of hours before slipping out the next morning. The dangerous contaminants can lurk on countertops, carpets and bathtubs, and the sickening smells produced can be masked by tobacco smoke and other scents.
Motels can be an attractive alternative for drug makers seeking to avoid a police bust in their own homes.