Story Archive

Getting it Right

Lt. Jerry Brewer says the New Hanover County, N.C., Sheriff’s Office’s technician did not make a mistake in testing 13 pounds of something white and powdery that deputies had seized — the test was run on multiple samples. Sheriff Ed McMahon announced the haul was “one of the largest seizures in the state,” and his team sent the material for more sophisticated testing. That revealed that they had seized, as Brewer put it, “a combination of simple and complex carbohydrates.” Those are also known by the street name sugar. “Under certain circumstances, sugar substances can mimic a false positive result,” said Ian Scott, of Scott Company Drug Testing, which invented the test McMahon’s office used. “This is something we discovered after this case.” The company recommends using other tests to confirm results; it says its test is quick, cheap, and “presumptive.” (AC/WECT Wilmington) ...Quick and cheap result: 13 pounds of opiates. Accurate result: “Heeeeeere’s nothing!”