Ricin Found in Las Vegas Hotel Room
Okay, who left their bag of castor beans under the bed?
Ever looked under the bed in your hotel room? My partner always takes a look before we check out, but I'm not courageous enough - I don't want to know what else is under there.
A man found more than he expected this morning in his Las Vegas hotel room when he found a small bag of castor beans and Ricin, a deadly poison.
Reuters and CNN reported this morning that Ricin, even in small quantities, can kill. Homeland security has already stated that they do not suspect terrorism.
Quarantined and Decontaminated"We did have enough ricin to be of concern," said Capt. Joe Lombardo of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. "At this point, it has been contained and processed where it's not a threat to anybody."
An Associated Press article states that Ricin is made from castor beans and is used in some cancer treatments because it attacks cells, preventing them from producing protein.
In 2003 an envelope containing Ricin was delivered to the White House, but was intercepted by the Secret Service. It was also detected in a Senate mailroom in 2004.
"This event does not appear to be terrorism related," said FBI spokesman Richard Kolko in Washington.
The man who brought the substance to the manager, as well as 3 motel employees have been quarantined in the hospital. It takes 6-8 hours for someone exposed to the poison to show signs of illness.
One more reason to not look under the bed, if you ask me. Sometimes not knowing makes for a better night's sleep.
Do you look under the bed when you're in a hotel? What's the worst you've ever found?
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