APPLETON - The Lake Winnebago drug unit found a drug lab Tuesday evening while searching an Appleton home for marijuana.

At about 5:30 p.m., officers executed a search warrant for a home in the 1100 block of East Sylvan Avenue when they came across a lab for dimethyltryptamine, also known as DMT, said Brad Dunlap, project director for the Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group. The hallucinogenic drug is generally sniffed, snorted or injected and its effects last for about 45 to 60 minutes.

Technicians on scene identified the type of lab, but samples are being sent to the State Crime Lab to confirm that it was used to produce DMT, Dunlap said.

"We have to get confirmation on some of the precursor chemicals from the crime lab before we can entertain a charge of manufacturing this stuff," Dunlap said. "The investigation is complete, we're just waiting on some results from the crime lab."

The process of manufacturing DMT can be dangerous since the byproducts and ingredients used are flammable, explosive and caustic, Dunlap said. The hazardous materials team and firefighters assisted with the cleanup.

Dunlap said DMT is rare in the Fox Valley and only knew of one other lab found in the last five years.

The suspect, an Appleton man, was in the driveway when officers arrived, but no one else was home. He was not arrested. Officers also found about one-quarter pound of marijuana during the search, Dunlap said.

Holly Meyer: 920-993-1000, ext. 426, or hmeyer@postcrescent.com; on Twitter @HollyAMeyer

APPLETON, WI (WTAQ) – Authorities in the Fox Valley say they uncovered a drug lab inside an Appleton home, but the possible drug is something you may not know about.

It all started as a marijuana investigation at 1120 E. Sylvan Ave. on Tuesday night. The Lake Winnebago Area Metro Enforcement Group drug unit, armed with a search warrant, entered the home looking for marijuana.

After finding a quarter-pound of pot, they also found chemicals used in the production of DMT.

“We found what we believe or are alleging was a DMT lab. We did not anticipate finding a lab at that location. So we wound up – sort of surprised at what we found,” Brad Dunlap, Director of the Winnebago Area MEG Unit, told FOX 11.

Investigators wearing Hazmat suits cleared the house of items they believe were used to make dimethyltryptamine (DMT). It’s a hallucinogenic drug people generally smoke or inject, and is rare in Northeast Wisconsin.

“The manufacture or process involves some chemicals that have the potential for explosion and or fire and that’s why we had Hazmat and fire crews out there,” said Dunlap.

The suspect, an Appleton man who lives at the residence, was in the driveway when officers arrived, however Dunlap says they did not arrest him. Authorities say first, they need to confirm what they believe they found.

“Based on the interviews, we believe that assessment is correct, but until we get results back from the crime lab we won’t be able to confirm that and that’s also the reason we’re holding off on charges,” Dunlap told FOX 11.

Authorities say it could take a couple of weeks before getting results from the crime lab. They would not say if the man is cooperating, or if he has a criminal history.

(Additional reporting from FOX 11).

Dimethyltryptamine, or DMT, is what law enforcement believes was being made at an Appleton duplex. It was discovered by drug agents looking for marijuana Tuesday night.

"It's not something that we encounter very routinely in the Fox Cities," Brad Dunlap of the Lake Winnebago MEG Unit acknowledged. "We've dismantled two of these labs now in the last five years."

DMT has several different origins, including a plant found in South America, but the the drug can be made synthetically.

DMT users can experience side effects similar to LSD use, including hallucinations, paranoia, schizophrenic-like reactions, to a loss of understanding of what is real and what is not.

Dunlap says this should send a message to parents.

"They should always be vigilant as to the social networks that their children are running in, who they are associating with," Dunlap said. "If possible, they need to pay attention to what lingo or language they're using on their social media sites."

DMTs might also be called Fantasia or "the businessman's LSD."

It's important for kids to understand that just trying something once can change your life.

"If you don't know something is dangerous, it's probably not a good idea to try it," Dunlap said.

APPLETON – Dimethyltryptamine or DMT, is also known on the street as “fantasia” or “businessman’s LSD,” But if you’ve never heard of it by any name, you’re not alone.

“It’s not something that most people, not only in this area, but across the state have heard much about,” explained Appleton Police Sgt. David Lund.

According to Lund, police have found about five DMT labs in the entire state in the last five years.

He told FOX 11 people typically smoke DMT with marijuana to produce strong, relatively fast hallucinogenic effects.

“Or are sometimes snorting or are also ingesting, usually by putting it in a tea that they brew,” Lund continued. Users can also inject the drug.

Lund explained that, while on the drug, people have trouble telling reality from imagination.

He told us people can manufacture DMT using the bark of a mimosa tree, which is native to South America.

“Uses a number of chemicals to be able to extract the DMT,” Lund added, chemicals like lighter fluid and paint thinner, which police say makes taking the drug a big risk.

“They’re also ingesting the chemicals that are being used to produce the drug,” said Lund.

And even though it’s rare, officers told us DMT is getting more attention lately.

“Probably because of the internet and the availability of information, how to produce it, where to get the precursors, et cetera,” explained Brad Dunlap with the Lake Winnebago Area MEG Unit, a drug enforcement agency.

According to Lund, police officers will likely do more training on DMT because of the recent drug lab found in Appleton.

It's important for kids to understand that just trying something once can change your life.

The hallucinogenic drug is generally sniffed, snorted or injected

It's important for kids to understand that just trying something once can change your life.

I'm interested in seeing how this pans out, and what charges would actually be brought upon this man in reference to the DMT. Manufacturing an illegal substance? Intent to distribute?

Here, you can have kilo of illegal substance in your home, and no one would bat an eye. But if cops find milligram scale, together with the stuff, that's an automatic arrest, because: "intent to distribute".

The guy was almost certainly slinging cannabis, and possible the DMT as well. As far as I know, the only sure-fire way to get the attention of the police is to be dealing. People notice if strangers are coming to your door at odd hours, and if you're selling, you pretty much have to end up talking to a wide variety of strangers, some of whom probably can't be trusted.

If, after the drug is produced, it's not leaving your house, and you're not bragging about it, there's very little way for the police to realize what's going on. Even if they did find out, a small-time user who's not selling probably isn't worth their time. Keep in mind that they bust dealers to get the money. If there's little chance of them walking away with tens of thousands of dollars in cash, it might not be worth their time. If they show up for some other reason and happen to see a "lab" set up, you're screwed, but that's why you should pay your taxes.

Also importing/exporting can catch people's eyes, which is why it's a good idea to grow your own stuff, and buy domestic.

All the best
~ND

Quoted for excellent advice.