LD5050 - 14-7-2017 at 13:59
I live in the US and I wanted to know exactly what my rights are regarding house hold hobby chemistry. I have a good size lab in my back yard and I
have quite the collection of chemicals
including red phosphorous, nitroethane, acetic anhydride, benzaldehyde, nitric acid, sulphuric acid, all different types of solvents and a huge list
of other chems, the first few I mentioned would be the most controversial of them all I would say. I'm wondering if I could get in trouble for just
having these? My understanding of the law was that ordering these types of chems could get LE to watch you but as long as your not using then for the
wrong purpose one should be fine but is this the cases?
JJay - 14-7-2017 at 14:33
If the government can prove that you have nitroethane, acetic anhydride and benzaldehyde in your shed and has any reason to be suspicious, they can
obtain a search warrant and seize your entire lab, as well as your house, car, bank accounts, and any valuable property that you may own. They might
have to give back your house and car.
If they know you have red phosphorus and have any reason to be suspicious, they can obtain a search warrant, but they probably couldn't seize your
house, car, and bank accounts unless they found something incriminating.
The federal government is unlikely to bother you unless they are quite convinced they can catch you in a crime involving an amount exceeding $5,000.
There are exceptions, and they take an entire pattern of conduct into consideration when assessing the cost of crime. Local governments are willing to
get involved for far lesser sums.