Critically acclaimed and commericially successful, the multi-award winning series Breaking Bad has been proclaimed by many to be the best show currently on the box and even one of the greatest ever. Heading an exceptional cast is Bryan Cranston, whose portrayal of mumbling professor turned meth kingpin Walter White has captivated audiences worldwide. But what about the side effects of our addiction to AMC's groundbreaking drama? Here are 4 examples of what happened when some viewers took the show a little too seriously.
74 Year Old Female Walter White
In perhaps the most comical of all Breaking Bad related drug crimes, 74 year old Math professor Irina Kristy of Boston was discovered to be running a meth lab from her own home with the help of her 29 year old son. The Boston University tutor was caught red handed in a raid on her home in November 2011. It's not clear how the elderly criminal became involved in the drug trade, but it's an almost identical situation to Walter, the only difference being that Kristy is facing a prison sentence unlike our protagonist.
Record Breaking Drug Bust In The Big Apple
October 2012 saw the largest drug bust in New York history as the Drug Enforcement Agency seized $800,000 worth of meth from a boarding house in Westchester, New Rochelle. The DEA (workplace of Walt's half-brother Hank in the show) worked in conjuction with the NYPD to carry out the raid and arrest two suspects inside the house.
Drug Cartel 'Super Lab' Taken Down
In January of this year, SWAT teams raided a 'super lab' in New Mexico (the predominant setting of the show) which was reputed to contain 99% pure crystal meth, a staggering number that defies even the talents of Walter White (who boasts a purity figure of 97% at best). Police said that they ''obliterated'' the drug cartel, identifying Steve-O Bennett as the kingpin of the cartel. The lab reportedly had the power to outpit 50 pounds of the drug in a single cycle.
Gardai On Alert For Breaking Bad Drug Outbreak
Even here in our beloved Ireland, Breaking Bad is taking effect on the population as e800,000 worth of meth was seized in Waterford last September. The criminals used the drug Sudafed, available in Pharamacies throughout the country, to manufacture their own home made meth. Gardai arrested a 32 year-old man and warned chemists to take extra care in their distribution of the drug in future.
It seems that many of Breaking Bad's impressionable audience have found their inner Heisenberg, but one thing they all have in common is the unfortunate ends they've all met at the hands of the law. Whether the same will be said for Walt at the end of the series remains to be seen.
Breaking Bad returns to screens in July 2013.
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