Quote:
Originally Posted by Chiefspants
I was always under the impression that it would have been cost prohibitive for Walt and Jesse to synthesize their own methylamine (if memory serves I read an article about this issue a while ago).
Jesse and Walt would have either had to have stolen the chemicals required to synthesize methylamine, or found a way to purchase the industrial quantities of said chemicals without attracting unwelcome attention. In addition, this would have added a step in their overall responsibilities, and there would have been the risk that the quality of the methylamine would not have been up to the standard to the product they received from Lydia or the tanker.
At least to me, it seemed like the long term solution was finding a way to have pre-made methylamine on hand, rather than adding a costly and somewhat risky step to their overall process.
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Methylamine is a Schedule 1 precursor, which means that it is extremely difficult to buy outright, and its purchases are monitored and tracked. However, the chemicals needed to synthesize methylamine are readily available for purchase and not traced by the DEA or other agencies.
Purchasing the precursor chemicals in smaller amounts would have neither raised any red flags, led to future shortages, or necessitated a great train robbery.