From Wikipedia:
"Lithium batteries and methamphetamine labs
Unused lithium batteries provide a convenient source of lithium metal for use as a reducing agent in illegal methamphetamine labs. Some jurisdictions restrict or limit the sale of lithum batteries in an attempt to help curb the creation of illegal meth labs. However, the heavy demand for lithium batteries for use in modern, current-hungry devices such as digital cameras conflicts with such restrictions, and they remain controversial. For example, in Wal-Mart stores the limit of sale is four packages of lithium batteries (three in Missouri). [8] Rechargeable Ni-MH batteries are overtaking the disposable lithium batteries since they are more economical."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_battery
This might be a situation of dishonest arbitrageurs understanding that the value of the parts is greater than the cost of buying a Tracphone - sell the batteries in bulk to meth lab owners (which they can't get in bulk at Wal*Mart); the phones in bulk to organized crime and terrorists, who don't really need new batteries, just new phones (which they can't get in bulk at Wal*Mart or most places without getting on camera); and the chargers to phone kiosks or just chuck them. Following their customer chain might lead to some very bad people, even if the phone purchasers themselves aren't terrorists.
Could all that Lithium be used to make a BIG bomb?
It's been years since I "Aced" college chemistry (after struggling through high school chem, but seems to me with all the houses blowing up because of the meth production around here there may be a connection. See post 45.
And the target is????????