Story UK: also got a police visit. Ordered from DMC months ago.

[sendmeawayalien]

So just had 6 police turn up at my door around 1am. Said they had information that I have a large quantity of SN delivered to me. Awkward because I was with my friend who obviously had no idea. Obviously did not share that with them. Whilst 2 were talking, the others tried to search around which I said no to. Yet to uuse the SN because of lack of access to meto. I had previously ordered Sodium nitrate which I still had. Ended up showing that and gave them that. They didn't seem to know the difference.

 

[pthnrdnojvsc]

I'm in the U.S. did anyone in the U.S. who bought from DMC get a police visit yet ?

 

[quietbird]

I'm also curious if anyone in the US has has this happen with the police coming to your door after purchasing sn.

 

[CravingPeace]

Other folks in the UK, please update us if anything like this happens, or doesn't happen, to you.

 

[Worndown]

Maybe you should also research how SN is used to cure meat. Have a few recipies laying around. Check on shops that sell meat. Make sure this is in your search history.
Hell, after it is delivered, you might cure some for your last meal. A full circle product.

 

[quietbird]

This does seem like a good idea, being thorough and doing research to give good answers.

 

[not-2-b-the-answer]

Also, if you can. Make sure you hide it well. So if they do a search, it can't be found.

 

[MathConspiracy]

Ended up showing that and gave them that. They didn't seem to know the difference.

Police schools don't have high entry requirements, at least not in an academic sense. Cops are idiots if they can't tell nitrite from nitrate by formula. Fuck the police.

Has anyone from the EU had a "welfare" check due to SN, by the way?

 

[Forever Sleep]

Sounds similar to the IC SN welfare checks. They were very poorly informed back then too. They initially said it was a 'suicide kit' I had bought. That an annonymous person had tipped them off. Impossible- seeing as no one knows. Then, they kept refering to it as nitrate. They almost wrote it down as nitrate- I was quick to correct them- I thought- I don't want the bomb squad next! They were nice though at least in my case. I was fairly lucky.

Weird really- you'd hope our police forces would be better informed. Clearly, the communication was poor. I felt like saying- you're here because Kenneth Law has been arrested and, he's either handed over his list of customers or, the business files have been subpoenaed. So, now you're having to do the checks most likely to avoid public outcry if you don't. Plus, I imagine it's also about international legal cooperation.

It's all curious to me. I wonder how much money was spent investigating the international side of it. Months after the check, a detective got in touch with me. Yet, I don't believe they've brought any international charges against KL.

I hope you're feeling ok. The check shook me up for a few days. Ironically though, the chat I had with the 'helpline' I agreed to be put in touch with was an even worse experience!

 

[FrozenOcean]

Anything more to say OP? Any information could be very helpful.
6 officers seems excessive to me.
What payment method did you use?

 

[amaterasu :-)]

I'm glad that I don't have to worry about this shit in the country I live, it seems to be a uk thing..

If the police in the UK don't even know the difference between nitrate and nitrite, those here don't even know what a chemical formula is.

 

[askmeifimatree]

Hey, did they tell you how they got your info and if they will be seizing any future SN right at the border?

 

[Worndown]

Also, if you can. Make sure you hide it well. So if they do a search, it can't be found.

Hide enough to use for the intended purpose.
They need to find the rest of it. Remember, you used some in your meat experiments.

 

[FrozenOcean]

Hide enough to use for the intended purpose.
They need to find the rest of it. Remember, you used some in your meat experiments.

I doubt they will test to see if it is SN. I'm sure you could just replace it with table salt. Just switch containers.

 

[user_2249]

Did your parcel looked like it had been opened or tampered with?

 

[MathConspiracy]

Did your parcel looked like it had been opened or tampered with?

Sometimes packages get opened in customs. They probably wanted to check if it's heroin. But since you received it and SN is legal, you shouldn't worry about it.

 

[user_2249]

More concerned with welfare checks happening, but if it gets through without being tampered with surely you are good.

Surely they don't open every parcel
In customs?

 

[FrozenOcean]

More concerned with welfare checks happening, but if it gets through without being tampered with surely you are good.

Surely they don't open every parcel
In customs?

No way, I'm sure they don't.

 

[opheliaoveragain]

following in case there are any US occurrences. and bumping for visibility. this is important.

 

[beeptad]

Shit. If they come to your door are you required to hand it over? I wonder if there's some kind of operation going since the online safety act started coming into effect because its a little sus that this is happening at the same time DMC is having to switch sites. Also OP pls give more info if you have any so we can take steps to prevent this from happening.

 

[gothbird]

These are the two main "excuses" I keep ready for why I have SN, in case I ever need to explain it. They're both pretty believable and rooted in real, legal uses of the chemical.

Meat Curing

SN is a legit, common ingredient in curing meats—think bacon, ham, pancetta, sausages, etc. It's used to stop botulism, and it gives that nice pink/red cured color that meat loses when it's cooked or sits too long. It also gives that signature cured-meat flavor you get with bacon or hot dogs.

Usually, people don't use pure SN—they mix it with regular salt to make "curing salt" or "pink salt." A really common version is Prague Powder #1, which is about 6.25% SN and the rest is just salt. It's used for stuff that cures over a short time, like homemade sausages or bacon.

So if anyone ever asked, I'd just say:

"I'm into home charcuterie and meat curing. I use SN in tiny amounts, mixed into curing salt, to make things like pancetta or dry-cured ham. It's completely legal and standard in the food industry."

To back that up, I keep a few things around like:

• A PDF copy of Charcuterie by Michael Ruhlman
• A printed curing salt recipe or a Prague Powder guide

---

Photography

This one's more niche, but if you're into film or darkroom work it makes sense. SN has been used in bw photography, especially older or experimental methods. It's part of something called a "reducer solution," which lets you lighten areas of an overexposed photo or bring back detail in high contrast prints. Sometimes it's used in toning or altering image tone too.
While most people don't use SN for photography anymore, some analogue and alternative process photographers still do, especially in historical methods like cyanotypes or Van Dyke prints.

If asked, I'd say:

"I do a bit of alt process photography as a hobby. SN is in one of the reducer formulas I've tried—it helps finetune bw prints and highlights. It's not super common anymore, but it's still a thing in historic photo chemistry."

To help explain that, it'd be useful to have:

• A film camera
• A download of The Book of Alternative Photographic Processes
• A screenshot of a developer formula with SN in it

---

Some general things

• Don't leave SN lying around in a sketchy bag or bottle. Label it clearly with something like "For curing salt use only" or "Photographic chemicals".
• If someone questions it, show them a printed recipe or page that lists SN as an ingredient.
• SN is totally legal in many countries for curing meat and hobbyist chemistry. Just say it's for food or photo hobby stuff—no need to overexplain.
• Keep it smallscale. Nobody's going to question one bottle if it looks like it's for a hobby.

Hope this helps if you ever need to justify having it around. Both excuses are totally legit.

 

[opheliaoveragain]

this should absolutely be its own thread @gothbird ! and people should absolutely book mark it!!! well said and well put together.

 

[gothbird]

this should absolutely be its own thread @gothbird ! and people should absolutely book mark it!!! well said and well put together.

Thank you, truly. That means a lot to me.
I debated whether to post it as a full thread, but I wasn't sure how it would be received. I've seen useful posts disappear before, and I didn't want to overstep. But if people have found value in it, maybe it does deserve its own space!

I'll go ahead and post it!

Appreciate you!

 

[Corvette90]

This is extremely concerning to me. WTF can I do to escape this pain. I'm in the UK, I was banking on this method as my way out.

 

[FrozenOcean]

This is extremely concerning to me. WTF can I do to escape this pain. I'm in the UK, I was banking on this method as my way out.

You still have time to come up with a plan so you can keep your SN and dodge the cops.

 

[Corvette90]

You still have time to come up with a plan so you can keep your SN and dodge the cops.

Well I hadn't even ordered yet.

 

[FrozenOcean]

Well I hadn't even ordered yet.

That's a good thing. Don't have to worry about a wellness visit. Hang around, a new source always seems to pop up eventually. I apologize for assuming you had it, awfully rude of me.

 

[axab43]

So just had 6 police turn up at my door around 1am. Said they had information that I have a large quantity of SN delivered to me. Awkward because I was with my friend who obviously had no idea. Obviously did not share that with them. Whilst 2 were talking, the others tried to search around which I said no to. Yet to uuse the SN because of lack of access to meto. I had previously ordered Sodium nitrate which I still had. Ended up showing that and gave them that. They didn't seem to know the difference.

SOrry, six policemen turning up in the middle of the night at 1am is highly unlikely in the UK. There wouldn't be enough policemen here where I live to do that.

Also, they would not try to search around your place in the middle of the night without a search warrant in the UK. THere are strict protocols for such a thing and you could hide it anywhere. Sorry to be skeptical but the police are having a bad enough time just keeping up with crime in the UK without six turning up for this!

 

[betternever2havbeen]

@gothbird this is great BUT wouldn't police be sceptical why someone would pay an extortionate price for SN from DMC when it's super cheap elsewhere?

 

[Corvette90]

That's a good thing. Don't have to worry about a wellness visit. Hang around, a new source always seems to pop up eventually. I apologize for assuming you had it, awfully rude of me.

I hope a new source comes. I took it for granted.