HOW-TO METH BOOKS EASILY FOUND ONLINE

The books police found in a trailer housing an illegal meth lab aren't sold
only at Denver's Tattered Cover.

The books are The Construction and Operation of Clandestine Drug
Laboratories, by "Jack B. Nimble," and Advanced Techniques of Clandestine
Psychedelic & Methamphetamine Manufacture, by "Uncle Fester."

Both can be purchased online from book giants Barnes and Noble and
Amazon.com, as well as Loompanics Unlimited, the publisher.

The Nimble book ranges in price from $13.45 to $17.95, and the Fester book
from $22.36 to $27.96.

"Sold for informational purposes only!" Amazon.com states -- twice -- on
its Web site offering the Nimble book.

It also states: "This book describes, in step-by-step, illustrated detail,
how to set up and run a clandestine drug lab -- without getting caught!
Jack B. Nimble reveals how to select a location, discusses safety
precautions -- including how and when to shut down -- and gives advice on
covering your tracks."

Loompanics' Web site has more to say: "One of the most important chapters
is Procurement of Suspicious Items, because chemical companies often watch
certain reagents and report orders . . . . "

Loompanics also states, "This book is sold for informational purposes only."

And it notes, "The clandestine laboratories described in this book don't
have to be used to make illegal psychoactive drugs -- they could be used to
manufacture medicines and useful chemicals in a war or survival situation."

"Uncle Fester," a chemist whose real name is Steve Preisler, offers his own
review of his book on Amazon.com. "Very useful book!" it begins.

"This book covers a variety of topics in the field of clandestine
chemistry," Preisler says. "I start with 'Scams and Schemes for Obtaining
Chemicals' . . .

"The last half of the book is Mr. X writing from the federal pen, telling
the stories of people he is doing time with and how they got busted.

"He gives his recommendations on how to avoid their mistakes."