A sign posted on the door at 402 Mildred Avenue notifies the public that the home is contaminated and temporarily uninhabitable following a drug raid on the home last week by Trumann Police Department. A new law requires law enforcement to notify state environmental regulators when a home is used to manufacture methamphetamine.

Landlords who rent to tenants who get caught illegally manufacturing methamphetamine could end up victims in the process if they aren't careful.

A new Arkansas law, which went in to effect in May, requires police to report all property that has been used to clandestinely manufacture methamphetamine to state environmental regulators.

Many of the ingredients used to make the drug can be harmful if exposed. Owners are now required by law to decontaminate the property and get it inspected by the state before it can be rented and lived in again.

"If you own property and somebody is on your property -- either a tenant or trespasser -- and they are cooking dope and we discover it, the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality has got to be notified," Blagg said. "A sign will be placed on the property stating that it can not be occupied or rented or lived in until the state has given them a certificate of compliance."

The cost to clean up the property can be steep. The state inspection costs a minimum of $450, not to mention the damage done to the interior of the home itself, Blagg said.

Fumes from the cooking process are denser than air and adhere to surfaces, drains, sinks, ventilation systems and absorbent materials like couches, carpets, sheet rock and wallpaper. People who have been exposed to breathing the air can experience breathing or respiratory problems, skin and eye irritation, headaches, nausea and dizziness.

"It's got to be completely scrubbed down, or in the worst case scenario, torn down," Blagg said.

Blagg said two property owners in Trumann have already been victimized -- one at 402 Mildred Street and another at 504 Harrison Avenue.

"Those landlords were completely in the dark," Blagg said. "They had no idea that their property was being used to make drugs and are now out a lot of money."

While he can't tell landlords who to rent to, Blagg said there are several things property owners can do that can help lessen the chance they will be victimized.

Blagg recommends landlords get at least three references from past landlords from all prospective tenants. Owners should inquire as to whether there was any unusual traffic at the property during the day or night, if they ever noticed any unusual smells coming from the property, or whether there were any reports from neighbors about possible drug activity.

"If the answer to any of those questions is yes, I would be very leery of renting to them," Blagg said.

He also suggests landlords make periodic maintenance inspections of their property.

"I would write that into the rental contract," Blagg said. "And while you are doing those inspections, if you notice anything that is unusual, contact the police or you may want to start the eviction process and get them out before it does become a problem with a meth lab."

Things to look for include unusual smells, discarded soda bottles with trash inside them, soda lids with holes poked in them, batteries that have been cut open, empty blister packs from pills and burn piles in the back yard.

"A burn pile is a tell-tale sign of destroyed evidence," Blagg said. "The majority of the meth labs that we go on we will find a burn spot in the back yard. If you see any of those things, contact us and we will check in to it."

Blagg said police are not out to get landlords. Many owners are already working with police to help clean up the problem. He just wants them to know the consequences in the event their property is used as a clandestine drug lab.

"I agree with this law 100 percent. I think it's one of the best things the legislature could have done," Blagg said. "I feel sorry for the victims of the property. I wish there was another way. You really should watch carefully and don't ignore your tenants. If they follow this advice I believe without a doubt that it will cut down on 75 percent of the meth labs or more."