Powder, believed to be meth, found on baby change table in McDonald's bathroom

The discovery of what's believed to be drug powderscattered across a baby table inthe 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, wasalso ona toilet paper dispenser in the toilet stall of theMcDonald'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 toturn it over to the police contacts he works with directly. It hasn't been analyzed yet toverify it's methamphetamine.

In 2016, the Bear Clan found 19 bags of meth and 300 syringes on the ground in various locations around the North End area, Favel said. Last year, it was seven or eight bags of meth and 4,000 needles.

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."

Bear Clan Patrol leader stunned after powder, believed to be meth, found on baby change table in McDonald's bathroom

7 years ago

Duration 1:22

The head of Winnipeg's Bear Clan Patrol says he's stunned after the street patrol group found what's believed to be crystal meth scattered on a baby's change table at a city McDonald's.