Reborn Cat Sheriff

Chapter 497 Take precautions before they happen
"Americans are really awful!"

Xie Yanbing gritted his teeth and spoke, never expecting that the Americans would be so shameless.

"Heh...aren't all politicians like this? To evade responsibility or the problems caused by their own incompetence, they come up with an excuse that no fool would believe, and then add, 'Anyway, I believe it.' Isn't that normal?"

Ding Biao scoffed dismissively, not at all surprised by the Americans' actions. In fact, it would be surprising if the US leadership didn't shirk responsibility after such a major incident.

"Tiger virus, why didn't it say to kill all these bastards?"

Xiang Jinquan shook his head helplessly.

"Forget it! This isn't our concern. The government will teach those Americans a lesson! We've arrived in Changshi, let's focus on our own tasks first! To be honest, our work isn't any easier than what's happening outside. If we don't handle the Yizhi incident properly, it could cause a huge mess. What if some bastards think we're too lax in our management and try to copy us? Who knows what kind of headaches that could result!"

Ding Biao sighed and turned to look out the window.

The police car had already exited the highway and was slowly entering the urban area of ​​Changshi. Ding Biao saw Lin Ge crawl out from under the blanket and opened the car window to let in some fresh air.

Then Lin Ge discovered that Changshi, as a well-known tourist city, indeed had a much better environment than Zhangshi. Just the moment he opened the car window, Lin Ge could smell the refreshingly clean air. The moist, even slightly sweet, moisture in the air made his nasal passages feel incredibly comfortable and clear. Looking up and seeing the lush greenery everywhere, the countless small parks along the way, and the many elderly people leisurely exercising in the parks, as well as the incredibly young people joining in, Lin Ge had to admit that Changshi was a very suitable place for relaxation and rejuvenation.

Although the Bashan and Chushui regions were desolate places in ancient times, they are now a rare place in the industrialized era where one can embrace nature.

Not only Lin Ge, but even the three heavy smokers in the car felt their throats were much more comfortable than before. The oral and throat problems caused by long-term smoking no longer bothered them in the fresh air. Xie Yanbing even exaggeratedly stuck his head out the window for a deep breath, but this time he was choked by the exhaust fumes from passing cars and coughed repeatedly.

Lin Ge gave Xie Yanbing a disdainful look. Was this guy a clown?
Enjoying a rare moment of relaxation, the two police cars quickly drove into the entrance of the Changshi Narcotics Control Detachment building.

Like Zhangzhou City, the Changshi Narcotics Control Detachment also has its own address and building, and the building itself is quite upscale. After the group got out of the car, someone was waiting outside to greet them. The leader was a middle-aged policeman with a receding hairline; even his large police cap couldn't hide his increasingly balding head. Upon seeing the six people getting out of the police car, he warmly shook hands and exchanged pleasantries, repeatedly saying things like, "You must have had a long journey."

"Captain Ge, shall we stop wasting time? I believe you've been informed about the Tiger virus incident. I estimate that for a long time to come, all of our police officers will have to focus on this matter. So, the sooner the better, let's get this over with quickly! How about we discuss the specifics while we drive? I reckon that as a well-known tourist city, Changshi shouldn't have many chemical companies. Let's make the most of today and check all these companies. If we find our target, that would be great! If not, we can hold a meeting later to discuss it further."

Lei Hanqin waited patiently for the captain named Ge Fenghua to finish his pleasantries before offering his opinions with a serious expression.

"So anxious?"

Ge Fenghua paused for a moment, but had to admit that the visiting army captain's words made a lot of sense. Chang City was indeed short of police resources, with most officers deployed to the airport. The news about the Tiger virus had only just emerged, and the public needed time to process it; this was the perfect opportunity to seize the moment and go all out. Otherwise, once things got really busy, it wouldn't be so easy to gather enough manpower to handle the cases.

Without hesitation, Ge Fenghua nodded decisively. He turned and gestured to one of his subordinates behind him, who took out his phone and sent a message. Soon, two police cars that were already prepared drove out of the courtyard.

"This guy's a dog too!"

Lin Ge remained seated in the police car, and his lips twitched slightly upon witnessing this scene.

This policeman named Ge Fenghua had actually been eager to solve the case for a long time. However, because he was unfamiliar with Lei Hanqin and his group and didn't know their modus operandi, he chose to play it safe by hiding his men and waiting to see Lei Hanqin's attitude before deciding on a method of contact. Lei Hanqin's immediate urging was exactly what Ge Fenghua wanted, so he seized the opportunity and stopped being polite, no longer mentioning letting the visitors rest.

When two decisive and ruthless bastards get together, what else is there to say?

Lei Hanqin accepted Ge Fenghua's invitation and got into the police car. After thinking for a moment, he got out and walked over to Lin Ge, opened the car door, and carried Lin Ge out.

"Is this the famous police cat from your Zhangzhou City?"

Seeing Lei Hanqin get into the back seat with a cat in his arms, Ge Fenghua followed him in through the opposite door and sat next to him. He looked at Lei Hanqin and then at Lin Ge, somewhat skeptical of the rumored cat's abilities, but he couldn't refuse Lei Hanqin's request.

Lei Hanqin grinned, giving Lin Ge a smug pat on the head, then turned to Ge Fenghua and said seriously, "Don't underestimate this guy! In this Tiger virus incident, our country managed to keep the virus out of the country, and this guy played a huge role. It can even smell out viruses and bacteria, let alone mere drugs. And it's already come to this point, Lao Ge, let me tell you the truth, I don't think this is as simple as it seems! We're both in the drug enforcement business, and you and I know very well how difficult it is to detect chemical drugs. My biggest worry right now is that you've already alerted them. If they manage to hide the goods, it won't be easy to find them."

"So that's why you specifically brought a particularly capable cat?"

Ge Fenghua no longer doubted Lin Ge's abilities; he was also fully aware of the challenges of investigating chemical drugs. If the enemy were alerted and went into hiding, finding them quickly would be difficult. Chemicals possess various chemical reaction capabilities and the ability to reduce raw materials, so there's no concern about expiration or urgent disposal. If drug dealers were indeed alerted, they could hide the drugs for six months to a year, or even reverse the reaction to become legal raw materials, making arrest a major problem. In that case, all they needed to do was deny everything, and the police might truly have no way to apprehend them.

Police arrests rely heavily on surprise. However, as a visiting force, Lei Hanqin was unaware of the situation in Changshi, and therefore had to make thorough preparations.

These words may sound hurtful, but Ge Fenghua has to admit that this is indeed the reality.

On the other hand, the stronger the visiting forces that come to support us, the faster the case will be solved, right? For cases in Changshi, the credit should go to Changshi itself.
Therefore, Ge Fenghua didn't mind Lei Hanqin's willingness to do more work at all.

It's definitely a good thing if the case can be handled easily. If it's complicated, the help from the other officers will make things easier for him. After all, we're all in the same boat in the fight against drugs, so why be so formal?
After assessing Lei Hanqin's personality and attitude, Ge Fenghua felt relieved, and a smile returned to her face.

With this local expert leading the way, the four police cars quickly arrived at one of the few chemical industrial parks in Changshi. Because Changshi prioritizes tourism, most of the companies here are environmentally conscious, operating as light chemical enterprises with minimal emissions and pollution. They rarely engage in the most common domestic production and processing of chemical raw materials, as that is extremely polluting and, frankly, not very profitable. Looking around, the chemical companies in the park primarily focus on the production and deep processing of pharmaceutical products, employing much more advanced technology and producing very little pollution.

However, in Lei Hanqin's view, this scene meant that the vast majority of companies here possessed the capability to secretly produce etomidate. After all, the production methods for most chemical products are largely similar, involving chemical reactions and separation with various solvents, acids, and alkalis. The more technologically advanced a chemical company is, the higher its level of drug production. Even a high school chemistry teacher can manufacture methamphetamine, demonstrating that this substance is indeed effortless for highly skilled individuals. These companies specializing in refining the process don't have their own raw material production capabilities; they rely entirely on external purchases. Who can guarantee that they won't secretly smuggle in some etomidate-related raw materials?
Ge Fenghua glanced at Lei Hanqin, guessing what he was thinking, and proactively explained, "Don't worry! Changshi's management in this area is very strict. Our anti-drug squad is practically monitoring this industrial park all the time, and drones are flying around every day. Coupled with the country's strong crackdown on drugs, I don't think there would be anyone foolish enough to abandon a good business and engage in such criminal activities!"

"However, relying on methylphenidate is not currently classified as a drug! Even if it is produced illegally, it can be said to be a trial run of a new device, or even directly treated as a new project of the enterprise, under the pretext of trial production and waiting for acceptance and approval."

Lei Hanqin's words made Ge Fenghua lose control of her expression, and she shook her head with a helpless bitter smile.

This is the most troublesome problem right now!
Etomidazol is not a drug! Any qualified company that applies for approval from the drug regulatory authority according to procedures is qualified to produce it! Regardless of whether the company is producing it for legitimate business or for drug-related purposes, as long as they aren't caught red-handed, it's difficult for the police to take any coercive measures. After all, this is a legitimate and legal drug with social demand. Should it be prohibited from being produced or given to patients simply because it's considered potentially harmful?

That doesn't make sense, does it? "No wonder you brought this cat!"

Ge Fenghua looked at the cat that seemed to understand what Lei Hanqin was saying, shook her head, and finally understood Lei Hanqin's purpose.

He seemed certain that there were companies in the industrial park producing etorizine, or at least companies attempting to obtain registration and approval. These companies, operating on a trial basis and producing small quantities of etorizine for experimental and verification purposes, were perfectly legal as long as they didn't sell it. Even if the police caught them on the spot, they wouldn't be able to definitively classify it as drug production or illegal drug manufacturing; in other words, they could only watch helplessly.

So what should we do in this situation?

If physical evidence is insufficient, then find witnesses! As long as it is confirmed that the other party showed signs of removing the prohibited substance, Etomidazole, from the factory premises, the police have an excuse and the right to conduct an in-depth investigation.

In other words, this is a criminal investigation method, not a drug enforcement method, but it was used for drug enforcement this time.

This elite police cat, which is said to have solved many major cases, can naturally exert its full strength in this kind of method and find a breakthrough in this case.

"Should I ask the Changshi Criminal Investigation Team for backup?"

Ge Fenghua was no fool, and she also hoped to solve the case completely. Therefore, after understanding Lei Hanqin's meaning, she took the initiative to suggest that Changshi could also increase police support.

"Let's go through it first! If it's not what I think, we won't need to make a big fuss."

Lei Hanqin turned to look out the window and did not answer immediately.

Although she managed to turn the tables with a few words, the matter ultimately depends on the attitude of the Changshi police. While it's fine for someone in the same league as Ge Fenghua to voice any questions or criticisms, other departments would inevitably have reservations if they were questioned in the same way.

In addition, the Tiger virus is causing trouble, and all the police officers are busy right now. There is no need to make them work harder unless absolutely necessary.

"This guy... he's incredibly meticulous! So he had already figured out the specific methods to solve the case before even arriving in Chang City?"

Lin Ge looked at Lei Hanqin in surprise and couldn't help but think more highly of this guy.

As for his suggestion to entrust the matter to a cat, hoping that Lin Ge could break the deadlock, Lin Ge naturally wouldn't object. If the other party was truly suspected of drug use, Lin Ge would be more than happy to send him to jail, preferably to be eaten alive!
Soon they arrived at the park gate, where the police car stopped in front of a chemical company on the outermost side.

This is a factory called 'Great Wall Chemical'. From the outside, it doesn't look very large, but it seems quite capable. At least judging from the amount of greenery inside the factory, this factory is willing to spend money on its appearance. In addition, all kinds of signs and warning signs are neatly posted, showing that the factory has put thought into this aspect. Generally speaking, a company with such a good attitude is unlikely to do anything reckless.

Well, this wasn't Lei Hanqin and Ge Fenghua's statement, but rather the assurance and introduction given to the group of police officers by the leaders of the industrial park who arrived shortly after hearing the commotion.

The leaders of the industrial park seemed to have a complete set of procedures for dealing with police enforcement, so even though these officers didn't know that the visiting police were anti-drug officers, they still acted very patiently and generously. In addition, the park conducts one or two routine enforcement management or inspections within the factories every month, plus the occasional orders from the province to strictly supervise enterprises, so they were already adept at handling such situations.

This was not good news for Lei Hanqin and his team. With even the park's top management helping internal companies deal with the police, the success of this emergency search in finding clues became uncertain.

Lei Hanqin could understand these people's desire to protect their jobs and reputations, and he also understood some people's attitude of "drugs are none of my business." Therefore, although his face was grim, he did not say anything further.

"If a few nice words could make criminals behave, we wouldn't have so many problems."

Xie Yanbing sneered and quietly turned around to whisper a few words to Ding Biao.

"But at least we know that this factory has the capability and equipment to produce methamphetamine or similar chemical drugs."

Ding Biao stopped at the main entrance of the factory, looking at the anti-drug warning posters on the wall, and also noticing the words "Changshi Municipal Public Security Bureau Anti-Drug Unit" in the lower right corner. Generally speaking, different units' posters have different meanings in the eyes of the police. For example, a poster directly posted by the anti-drug unit like this, to some extent, labels the company as a precursor to drug production, requiring the police to be more strict and cautious during future inspections.

The security guards at the entrance of Jin Changcheng Chemical Plant naturally dared not stop the group of police officers from entering.

Although everyone saw someone hurriedly making a phone call in the security room, they ignored it. As planned, after entering the factory area, the group quickly dispersed and went to search and inspect key locations.

The police uniform was the best proof and deterrent. The factory workers saw the police walking around so arrogantly and didn't dare to stop them. They just pretended not to see them and continued working while whispering among themselves.

Then Lin Ge discovered that the company didn't have many workers.

Or rather, as a chemical company, many processes are semi-automated, requiring only workers to monitor and adjust valve switches and program transmissions. Furthermore, most chemical companies use solvents or raw materials that are flammable and explosive, so the entire production process is completely sealed off from the air. In this respect, Lin Ge thought this factory did a pretty good job; at least he didn't smell too many unpleasant chemical odors in the air. However, when he entered a workshop that the employees called the 'refined baking and packaging' workshop, the strong smell of dust inside made Lin Ge sneeze twice and stop in his tracks at the door.

"Mimi, have you discovered something?"

Many police officers, especially those from Changshi, had been watching the cat's movements. After all, they had only heard rumors about Ling Ge's abilities and didn't fully trust him. Seeing the cat stop moving, they immediately became curious.

Lin Ge shook his head; he hadn't yet detected anything unusual or related to the smell of drugs.

The reason for stopping here was that the 'fine drying and packaging' workshop was a clean area, also known as a dust-free area. Lin Ge was well aware of his own hair loss, and going in and out of this area casually would only cause trouble for others.

Or to put it another way, what if a patient found a cat hair in one of the medicines produced by this factory... the patient would probably want to blow up the company.

Although Lin Ge was willful, he didn't intend to go too far in this matter.

(End of this chapter)