Powder, believed to be meth, found on baby change table in McDonald's bathroom
Bag of crystal meth found on ground, powder also found in toilet roll dispenser
The discovery of what's believed to be drug powder scattered across a baby table in the washroom of a fast-food restaurant has shocked the head of a street patrol group in Winnipeg.
James Favel, who leads the Bear Clan Patrol, has come across thousands of needles and found dozens of small bags of drugs during patrols, but the find on Saturday is particularly distressing.
"There was a big bunch of it in the crease there, enough to really harm somebody," he said.
The powder, which Favel believes is meth, was also on a toilet paper dispenser in the toilet stall of the McDonald's at Main Street and Mountain Avenue. There was also a bag of crystal meth on the floor, he said.
"The fact that somebody was so out of it that they left their big bag of drugs behind is really disturbing," he said.
"Clearly, they were so wasted, they didn't have control. It would seem to me that, to an addict, their drugs would be the most important thing."
The drugs were found in the women's washroom around 10:45 p.m. Saturday. Patrol members often go to that McDonald's to warm up and grab a coffee, Favel said.
While there, they usually do a quick search of the bathroom, because it's common to find used needles that they clean up.
Patrol members secured the bathroom so no one would go in and told staff, who closed it until it could be cleaned properly.
"This is a significant amount. Most of the bags that we're coming into contact with are smaller ones that are about the size of a postage stamp," Favel said. "This one was four times that size."
He still has the bag and is waiting to turn it over to the police contacts he works with directly. It hasn't been analyzed yet to verify it's methamphetamine.
Saturday's find was the first drug-related one so far for 2018.
"It's too cold for people to be using their drugs outside, so they're finding other places to do it," Favel said.
"McDonald's doesn't have a locked door policy, so people from the street can come in and use it — and that's commendable. But this is the negative impact of IV drug use in our community, that they are finding these places that are open."
In an emailed statement, Ryan McCullough, the franchisee of the McDonald's, said he's treating the situation with the utmost concern.
"The health and safety of my guests is my priority. As a local business owner in our community I take this matter very seriously and am looking into it further with my team."
