Feb2003.pdf

U.S. Department of Justice

Drug Enforcement Administration

www.dea.gov

Microgram

Bulletin

Published by:

The U.S. Attorney General has determined that the publication

The Drug Enforcement Administration

of this periodical is necessary in the transaction of the public

Office of Forensic Sciences

business required by the Department of Justice. Information,

Washington, DC 20537

instructions, and disclaimers are published in the January issues.

______________________________________________________________________________

VOL. XXXVI, NO. 2 FEBRUARY 2003

- INTELLIGENCE ALERT -

COCAINE BRICKS SEALED IN A POLYMERIC COATING IN EL PASO, TEXAS

The DEA South Central Laboratory

(Dallas, Texas) recently received a

submission of three unusually

packaged bricks, suspected cocaine.

The bricks were seized in El Paso,

Texas by the U.S. Customs Service.

In addition to the usual layers of

plastic wrapping and tape, each brick

was sealed in multiple coatings of an

unknown, translucent polymer (see

Photo 1). The polymeric material was

fairly difficult to remove from the

bricks. Analysis indicated that it was

probably an ethylene/vinyl acetate

copolymer. Analysis of the

compressed brick powder (combined

net mass 2,943 grams) confirmed 84

Photo 1

MICROGRAM BULLETIN, VOL. XXXVI, NO. 2, FEBRUARY 2003

Page 31

percent cocaine hydrochloride. This is the second encounter with polymer coated cocaine bricks

by the South Central Laboratory.

[Editor’s Notes: According to the analyst, this concealment technique is not commonly seen.

The defendants in this case indicated that the bricks were dipped into the polymeric material to

make them waterproof. The packaged bricks would then be dropped at pre-arranged locations in

the Gulf of Mexico or in the bayous of Louisiana, for later retrieval. The total net mass of each

brick (that is, 1 kilogram of cocaine and all the packaging) was about 1.5 kilograms. Somewhat

surprisingly, the polymeric coating did not have a particularly noticeable odor.]

* * * * *

- INTELLIGENCE ALERT -

COCAINE DISSOLVED IN CANNED LIQUIDS AT JFK AIRPORT, NEW YORK

The DEA Northeast Laboratory (New York, New

York) recently received a submission of 10 metal

cans, suspected of containing cocaine dissolved in

various liquid food matrices. The cans were seized

by the U.S. Customs Service at John F. Kennedy

Airport from the luggage of a passenger arriving on

a flight from Guyana. The cans had labels

indicating they contained 400 milliliters each of

“Sococo - Coconut Cream” or “Coconut Milk”, and

contained products which varied from a dark amber

liquid to a cream colored paste (see Photo 2). Of

note, the labels on some of the cans were slightly

misaligned. The combined net mass of the contents

in the ten cans was 6,159 grams. Analysis by

crystal testing, GC/MS, GC/FID, and GC/IRD

confirmed 39 percent cocaine (salt form

undetermined). Caffeine, phenacetin, and

dimethylterephthalate were also identified. The Northeast Laboratory has received several

similar submissions of canned liquids containing cocaine in the past.

Photo 2

* * * * *

- INTELLIGENCE ALERT -

BLACK TAR HEROIN CONCEALED BEHIND POSTAGE STAMPS

IN CORCORAN, CALIFORNIA

The DEA Western Laboratory (San Francisco, California) recently received a case from the

California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison at Corcoran, consisting of four

letters with suspected heroin behind the stamps. The letters had been mailed to an inmate, and

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MICROGRAM BULLETIN, VOL. XXXVI, NO. 2, FEBRUARY 2003

had been seized by prison authorities.

The sender had secured about 200 mg of

black tar heroin to the back of each stamp

with a piece of clear plastic, then stuck

the stamps on the envelopes (see Photo 3).

The recovered material had a total net

mass of 0.81 grams. Analysis by GC/FID

and GC/MS confirmed 67 percent heroin.

This was the first submission of this type

to the Western Laboratory.

[Editor’s Notes: Similar exhibits of

heroin concealed behind postage stamps

were reported in the August 1997 issue of

Microgram and the November 2002 issue

of Microgram Bulletin . Both of these

previously reported cases also involved either postcards or letters sent to incarcerated prisoners.]

Photo 3

* * * * *

PHENCYCLIDINE BASE IN GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO

The Grand Junction Police Department Laboratory recently received two Gatorade gallon jugs

containing an orange liquid, suspected phencyclidine (PCP) (see Photo 4). The jugs were

located in a black cloth suitcase seized by the Grand Valley Joint Drug Task Force at the Grand

Junction Greyhound bus station. The two suspects involved were travelling from Compton,

California to Cincinnati, Ohio. Passive evaporation of the liquids (in a exhaust hood) reduced

their volume by about two thirds (see Photo 5). Analysis of the final solution by GC/MS

confirmed fairly clean phencyclidine base. The easily evaporated solvent was petroleum ether.

The laboratory has previously received phencyclidine base samples seized at the bus station (two

occasions), but not in these quantities.

Photo 4

Photo 5

MICROGRAM BULLETIN, VOL. XXXVI, NO. 2, FEBRUARY 2003

Page 33

Selected Intelligence Brief

Cocaine Signature Program Report (January 2003)

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration

Special Testing and Research Laboratory

22624 Dulles Summit Court

Dulles, VA 20166

[Unclassified; Reprinted With Permission]

INTRODUCTION

origin (country) of the coca leaf used to produce a

cocaine exhibit with a confidence level exceeding

95%. There are several coca-growing regions

within South America. Due to recent major coca

expansion, all Colombian coca-growing regions

are now collectively reported as “Colombia”. The

major growing regions within Peru and Bolivia

are reported as such. A map of these regions is

presented below.

Beginning in 1997, the DEA’s Special Testing

and Research Laboratory (SFL-1) began an in-

house Cocaine Signature Program (CSP) to

identify trends in cocaine processing. In this

program, samples of cocaine hydrochloride

obtained from major seizures within the United

States are examined. Each year, through the CSP,

in-depth chemical analyses are performed on over

2000 cocaine HCl exhibits obtained from bulk

seizures throughout the United States. The

program also examines cocaine exhibits seized

throughout the world. Additionally, samples of

solvents, reagents, and other materials seized from

South American illicit cocaine laboratories are

examined. Analytical methodologies developed at

SFL-1 give evidence of how and where coca leaf

was processed to cocaine base (geographical

origin), and how and where cocaine base was

converted to cocaine hydrochloride (processing

origin). Correlated data from all these seizures are

reported on a quarterly basis.

During the fourth quarter of 2002, 946 cocaine

and cocaine related exhibits were examined by the

CSP. Of these exhibits, 930 were from

throughout the U.S. and 16 were from either

Colombia, Korea, Ecuador, Brazil, Thailand, or

Mexico.

4th QUARTER OF CY 2002 CSP RESULTS

Origin of Cocaine – Where the Coca Leaf

Originated

Scientists at SFL-1 have developed state-of-the-

art methods that can determine the geographic

Determination of the geographical and processing

origins of illicit cocaine exhibits provides valuable

information to the counter-drug intelligence

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MICROGRAM BULLETIN, VOL. XXXVI, NO. 2, FEBRUARY 2003

community and U.S. policymakers. Intelligence

information derived from this program enables the

law enforcement community to determine cocaine

distribution and trafficking routes throughout the

world, and determine where cocaine base is

specifically produced in the Andean Ridge.

examined for cocaine base origin. The results are

illustrated in the above chart.

Ninety-six percent of the exhibits (N=2553)

were produced from Colombian coca leaf. The

Huallaga/Ucayali and Apurimac/Cusco Valleys of

Peru accounted for 1.8% (N=49) and 1.1%

(N=29), respectively. Only one exhibit was found

to be from Bolivian coca leaf. Coca leaf origin

could not be determined for 1% (N=25) of the

exhibits.

For this reporting period, 930 exhibits seized

throughout the U.S. were subjected to origin

analysis. Results are presented in the chart

below.

Origin of cocaine base

(where the leaf was grown)

Purity of Seized Kilograms

Generally, uncut exhibits (usually 1 kilogram

bricks) have a purity of 80-90+%. Uncut means

that nothing has been added to dilute the cocaine.

Data pertaining to cocaine brick purity is shown in

the chart below. There has been a continuous

Colombia

Peru

Purity of cocaine bricks

99%

18%

10%

Ninety-nine percent of the exhibits originated

from Colombian coca, while 1% originated from

the Huallaga/Ucayali and Apurimac/Cusco

Valleys of Peru. Exhibits of very poor quality

were not subjected to origin analysis. Solvent

profiles conducted on exhibits revealed that all of

the Peruvian cocaine exhibits were actually

converted to cocaine HCl by Colombian

processing methods (probably outside of Peru).

Three exhibits (not shown) were converted to

cocaine HCl by the Bolivian Method.

35%

37%

>90% Purity

80-89% Purity

70-79% Purity

<70% Purity

decrease in cocaine brick purity over the past four

years and now appears to be leveling off at an

average purity of 77%. The majority of the

exhibits examined during the fourth quarter of CY

2002 had cocaine purities less than 80%. Those

exhibits were usually cut with a diluent.

For CY 2002, over 2,650 cocaine HCl exhibits

from seizures within the United States were

A significant decrease in the number of cut bricks

has occurred during the last two reporting periods

(36% and 39%). Data pertaining to cut versus

uncut bricks for this reporting period is shown on

the next page.

Origin of cocaine base - CY 2002

Colombia

During this reporting period, lactose was the most

prevalently used cutting agent, followed by

caffeine. A significant number (16%) of exhibits

contained other cutting agents, including

procaine, mannitol, baking soda, lidocaine,

inositol, boric acid, dimethyl terephthlate,

phenacetin, and/or salt.

Huallaga/Ucayali

Apurimac/Cusco

96%

Undetermined

MICROGRAM BULLETIN, VOL. XXXVI, NO. 2, FEBRUARY 2003

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