What is Clandestine Drug Laboratory 

A Clandestine Drug Laboratory is an area, usually inside, which has been set up illegally to manufacture illicit drugs.

Clandestine meaning:

         •    Kept or done in secret, often in order to conceal an illicit or improper purpose.

         •    Existing or operating in a way so as to ensure complete concealment and confidentiality.

The operators of these Clandestine Drug Laboratories often employ elaborate surveillance and security measures to ensure they remain undetected.

Generally in New Zealand the drug being manufactured in these Clandestine Drug Laboratories is Methamphetamine but they can be used to manufacture Ecstasy and other Amphetamine based drugs.

The manufacture of such drugs involves the use of various dangerous chemicals, which present serious danger to those handling them and to the public in the immediate area.

The criminals operating these Clandestine Drug Laboratories have little or no knowledge of chemistry and this increases the risk to them and the general public. 

Since 2001 New Zealand has seen as marked increase in these Clandestine Drug Laboratories, that year 41 Clandestine Drug Laboratories were discovered and in the preceding years that number has increase to an average of 200 a year being discovered with 211 being discovered in 2006 which is to date the highest number of labs discovered in a calendar year. Since 2006 the discovery rate has declined due to a variety of reasons but this has not seen the use of methamphetamine decline.