A forensic scientist says the discovery of a 'P'-lab in a luxury apartment in central Wellington is unusual, but not unprecedented.
When police raided the apartment in a Chews Lane building on Friday looking for signs of drug dealing, they were surprised to find a pot full of bubbling chemicals on the stove, as well as 50g of methamphetamine ready for sale.
The building had to be evacuated for most of the day.
A Forensic and Industrial Science employee, Nicholas Powell, says he has dealt with cases of methamphetamine, or 'P', being cooked in similar circumstances before.
"I recall three or four apartments in one hotel in Auckland," he says, :and a few years ago now - I think in the mid-2000s - there was a methamphetamine lab discovered on the 17th floor of the Ascot Metropolis Hotel in Auckland."
Mr Powell says meth labs can be small and highly portable, and he's not surprised that other Chews Lane tenants had no idea the lab was there.
Bail hearing deferred
A bail hearing has been deferred until later this week for a man in custody after the drug raid.
Puthy Thomas Chea, 29, appeared briefly in the Wellington District Court on Monday afternoon, but his hearing was moved to Wednesday.
He, along with three others aged in their 20s, are charged with possessing a class A drug for the purposes of supply.
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