Grime spree in the soapy underworld: Why are people stealing Tide?

Gas prices are continuing to soar, but in a strange turn of events, it’s Tide laundry detergent that’s considered to be “liquid gold.”

There’s recently been a strange epidemic in the U.S. known as “Grime Sprees.” People are stealing large amounts of Tide from Big Box stores (loading up carts to the brim, and simply running out of the store with their loot.) Why detergent? Why Tide in particular? What are they doing with all that soap?

This new Tide Wave has been compared to previous sprees involving cold medicine (which is used to make meth.) Is the Tide being stolen converted into drugs? Yes, but not the same way Sudafed is. People are actually stealing the popular brand because they can trade it for drugs. The drug dealers then sell the Tide on the black market to people who want a 50% discount on the popular, but expensive brand, just to do their laundry. Some of Tide’s competitors are similarly priced, but so far Tide seems to be the only detergent brand targeted.

Not everyone is selling the Tide to drug dealers, some of the Tide bandits are directly turning over the product themselves. Security cameras in Maryland caught a guy stealing a cartload of Tide, and forty minutes later his accomplice was seen selling the loot to a nail salon.

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