It seems someone at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico may have gone as Walter White for Halloween.
Some trick-or-treaters going door to door in Kirtland’s on-base residential area last night ended up with small plastic pill baggies containing a crystalline blue substance, Kirtland spokeswoman Eva Blaylock confirmed to Air Force Times Friday. Although the substance resembles the “blue sky” crystal methamphetamine cooked up by the antihero of the show “Breaking Bad” — which was set in nearby Albuquerque — Blaylock said it was believed to be rock candy.
But the Office of Special Investigations at Kirtland isn’t laughing. Blaylock said OSI tested the substance “out of an abundance of caution,” and later on Friday said the tests confirmed it was rock candy.
OSI has also identified who handed out the candy, Blaylock said in the follow-up phone call. She would not identify the person, or say whether he or she is in uniform, describing the person only as a “member of Team Kirtland.”
Blaylock said it is not yet known whether the person will face charges.
Another Kirtland resident posted a photo of the substance on the private Facebook group “Kirtland AFB Spouses and Members” Friday morning, and said someone in Village 3 there handed it out.
“I did not think [this] was a funny joke to play on kids and teenagers,” the resident wrote. “Especially when we are struggling with drug addiction across the country.”
Blaylock said base officials called OSI immediately after becoming aware of the social media post.
“OSI takes any perceived threat seriously,” Blaylock said.
It is unknown how many children may have received the fake drugs, she said.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
