Hiding in Plain Sight
Drug addicts are very ingenious when it comes to hiding their supply of drugs. Due to the paranoia that comes from using drugs, addicts can resort to desperate measures to hide their drugs from family members. While there are the common places like in shoes or socks, I have seen addicts go to extremes and put their drugs in holes in the ground or hide them in places one would never think to look such as behind electrical plugs.
But what if something was hiding in plain sight?
Items have been coming out for sale on the internet and in local head shops that are know as “diversion safes.” They range in price from a few bucks to fifty dollars. These safes mimic brand-name products such as soda cans, bottles of water, car-cleaning products, and jars of food produce but they are hollowed out so that things can be kept inside them. Although more expensive, some diversion safes imitate candles, books, and clocks. To the untrained eye, they look just like the actual product or thing being imitated. They might have a little play on words with the branding in order to avoid copyright laws, but most are indistinguishable. Some diversion safes are re-manufactured using the actual product—the only difference being the cavity inside.
These diversion safes are legally advertised as being designed to protect valuables such as jewelry and cash. Criminals are normally in a hurry and don’t have the time to search every corner of the room. The diversion safe is designed to thwart potential thieves from stealing important documents or valuables and instead steal objects in plain sight.
Unfortunately, the use of diversion safes has also become prevalent among criminals and drug users. Law enforcement agencies are aware that drug dealers hide illegal narcotics or money made from the sale of said narcotics, but it is impossible to search every item in the house for drugs or money and sometimes, if not careful, police officers can miss illegal items hidden in diversion safes.
At this point anything can be made into a diversion safe. Websites show step-by-step guides and videos on how to make homemade diversion safes from mp3 players, CD cases, and other common household items. Parents should be on the lookout for any item that seems out of place such as food or soda products staying in the room for long periods of time, cans of car-cleaning products or tire sealant being in the wrong place, and so forth.
If you find a diversion safe in your home, chances are a loved one might be using drugs. Call Narconon and get help for your loved one before it is too late.
