Yesterday, we told you about the consequences of running a secret meth lab in your home -- one being that you might accidentally destroy your home, as was the case with a Madison County fire-turned-drug-bust. But today, we have for you a different meth lesson -- one about the dangers of doing something that looks very similar to running a clandestine meth facility.
Enter the Benson family of Union County, Illinois. They like to make maple syrup.
What could go wrong? The news video below gives us a glimpse at what happens when suspicious neighbors think your maple syrup operation isn't so sweet.
KFVS reports that Union County resident Laura Benson and her family "got the scare of their lives" this week when drug agents swarmed their property.
Here's the full KFVS12 News segment.
Benson tells the station, "They had a report of a meth lab going on on our property. And they wanted to investigate it."
So she happily showed the officers what she was doing.
"They pointed to the buckets and I told them my husband has a hobby of making maple syrup. Of course they realized it once they seen it," she says.
But don't worry -- this family isn't sour. KFVS reports:
The Benson's want to thank their neighbors for being so alert and notifying the police."I think my neighbors on their way to church see the buckets and stuff and think we've got a meth lab operation going on here. I just want to put their minds at ease, and let them know it's maple syrup. And that they're all welcome for pancakes if they want to come on over," [says Benson].
The Bensons have been making their own maple syrup for the past five years. This was the first time they've been mistaken for a meth lab.
They even gave the agents a sample of their syrup to take home and enjoy.
So, let this be a lesson to us all: if you're making maple syrup in your backyard, you could be asking for trouble. But the more important lesson here -- if you want some free pancakes from your neighbor, just accuse them of running a meth lab, because, duh.
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