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PLASTIC LUGGAGE (CONTAINING COCAINE) SEIZED IN THE COMALAPA
The DEA Special Testing and Research Laboratory (Dulles, Virginia) recently received a collection of shards of hard, black plastic, suspected to contain cocaine (see Photo 1). The exhibits were pieces of the hard shell of a suitcase, and were seized by the El Salvador Civil National Police at the Comalapa International Airport in San Salvador. The material (total net mass 24.8 grams) would not dissolve in water. Analysis of methanol and chloroform extracts by GC/FID and GC/MS confirmed 7.3 percent cocaine (calculated as the hydrochloride). The Special Testing and Research Laboratory has previously received similar items composed of plastic matrices containing cocaine.
* * * * * - INTELLIGENCE ALERT - AZTEC (?) STATUE CONTAINING COCAINE AT LOGAN The DEA Northeast Laboratory (New York, New York) recently received a black, plastic statue, possibly of an Aztec idol, that contained four bricks of white powder, suspected cocaine (see Photos 2 and 3; note that the statue was about 17 inches high by 6 x 6 inches square at its base). The exhibit was seized by Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel from a passenger arriving at Logan International Airport (Boston, Massachusetts). The passenger’s starting point was not provided. Analysis of the powder (total net mass 3.895 kilograms) by GC/FID, GC/MS and FTIR/ATR confirmed 79 percent cocaine hydrochloride and diltiazem (not quantitated). The Northeast Laboratory routinely receives cocaine concealed in a wide variety of items, including statues, but this was the first submission of this particular type of statue.
* * * * * - INTELLIGENCE ALERT - UNUSUALLY SIZED AND PACKAGED COCAINE BRICKS IN ROLLA, MISSOURI The DEA North Central Laboratory (Chicago, Illinois) recently received 34 packages of two distinctly different sizes, all containing compressed, off-white powders, suspected cocaine (see Photo 4, next page). The exhibits were seized in Rolla, Missouri, pursuant to a traffic stop by the Phelps County Sheriff's Department. The 7 smaller packages appeared to be typical kilo-sized bricks; analysis by color tests, FTIR, GC/MS, and GC/FID confirmed 86 percent cocaine hydrochloride (total net mass of 7 bricks 6.77 kilograms). The 27 larger packages each contained 7 “mini-bricks,” each of which was wrapped in black tape that was marked with a galloping white mustang logo (see Photo 5). The “mini-bricks” in these sub-packages also had an impression of a rearing mustang (photo contrast insufficient for display). Analysis by color tests, FTIR, GC/MS, and GC/FID confirmed 82 percent cocaine hydrochloride and diltiazem (not quantitated). The total net mass in the 189 “mini-bricks” was 27.31 kilograms (combined net mass of all 34 packages 34.08 kilograms). This was the first submission of this unusual type of packaging to the North Central Laboratory.
* * * * * - INTELLIGENCE ALERT - VERY LARGE SEIZURE OF ECSTASY COMBINATION TABLETS The DEA Western Laboratory (San Francisco, California) recently received a very large submission of approximately 660,000 tablets of 9 different logo types, all suspected Ecstasy (see Photo 6). The exhibits were seized by Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel from a tractor-trailer attempting to enter the United States from Canada at the Blaine, Washington Port of Entry. The logo/color combinations were separated by type, and included: ( T )/red-orange (140,000); Thumbs-Up/yellow (220,000); Smiley Face/white (50,000); Dolphin/blue (70,000); Ferrari Horse/yellow (55,000); Triple X/pink (55,000); Skull and Crossbones/green (40,000); Thumbs Up/red (25,000); and ( m )/pink (5,000). Analysis of the tablets (total gross weight 217 kilograms) by GC/FID, GC/MS, and FTIR/ATR confirmed MDMA (14 - 25 percent) and caffeine (not quantitated) in all tablets, and ketamine (2 - 4 percent), methamphetamine (2 - 4 percent), procaine (not quantitated), and/or dimethyl sulfone (not quantitated) in various combinations, varying by tablet type. Of note, dimethyl sulfone is being increasingly encountered in Ecstasy tablets submitted to the Western Laboratory (5 percent of all tablets in CY 2005, and 20 percent of all tablets in CY 2006 (to date)). This is the largest ever Ecstasy tablet submission to the Western Laboratory.
* * * * * - INTELLIGENCE ALERT - “TURANABOL” (DEHYDROCHLORMETHYLTESTOSTERONE)
The DEA Mid-Atlantic Laboratory (Largo, Maryland) recently
received a multi-component submission of steroids and steroidrelated
exhibits that included 15 bottles labeled as “Turanabol,” containing “Chlordehydromethyltestosterone,” as manufactured
by “Golden Triangle Pharmaceuticals” of Hefei Anhui, China (see
Photo 7). The exhibits were seized by agents from the DEA
Winchester (Virginia) Post of Duty, pursuant to a consent search
at a local residence. Unusually, despite identical appearances and
lot numbers, the bottles contained either all orange or all yellow
capsules, 100 per bottle. The capsules were 5/8's inch in length,
and were otherwise nondescript. Six bottles contained orange
tablets (total net mass of 600 capsules 109.4 grams); analysis by
GC, GC/MS, and NMR indicated dehydrochlormethyltestosterone
(4-chloro-17
- INTELLIGENCE ALERT - LARGE POLYDRUG SEIZURE IN THESSALONIKA, GREECE The General State Chemical Laboratory's 2nd Chemical Division Seized Materials Laboratory (Thessaloniki, Greece) recently received a polydrug submission from the Police Department of Polygyros (Halkidiki, Greece), seized from a residence in Thessalonika, including:
Analyses were conducted by color testing (Duquenois, Marquis, Ehrlich, or Scott, as appropriate), GC/FID, GC/MS, and (for LSD only) TLC. This is the first time the laboratory has received this many and diverse samples from one seizure, the first time it has received a cannabis resin brick with a logo of any kind, the first time it has received a peyote sample, and the first time it has received star-shaped LSD microdots.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SELECTED REFERENCES [Selected references are a compilation of recent publications of presumed interest to forensic chemists. Unless otherwise stated, all listed citations are published in English. Listed mailing address information exactly duplicates that provided by the abstracting service. Patents and Proceedings are reported only by their Chemical Abstracts citation number.]
Additional References of Possible Interest:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS 1.
Title: 16th Annual CLIC Technical Training Seminar (Third Posting) ------------------------- 2. Title: 32nd Annual NEAFS Meeting (Second Bimonthly Posting) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * THE JOURNAL/TEXTBOOK COLLECTION EXCHANGE The Journal/Textbook Collection Exchange is a service intended to facilitate the transfer of unwanted journals and textbooks to forensic libraries or other subscribers. At present, this service is offered once a quarter (in January, April, July, and October). The most current items are listed below. The offers are First Come/First Serve (except libraries have preference). There are no charges to the requestor. Provide full mailing address in request. Important!: Do not provide an address that irradiates mail!
All subscribers are encouraged to donate surplus or unwanted items/collections. Reference texts and long runs of forensic/analytical journals are of particular interest; however, even single issues are worthwhile. If interested, please consult the Microgram website or contact the Microgram Editor for further instructions. The next offering of journals and textbooks will be in the October 2006 issue of Microgram Bulletin.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * THE DEA FY - 2006 and FY - 2007 STATE AND LOCAL The remaining FY - 2006 schedule for the DEA’s State and Local Forensic Chemists Seminar is as follows:
The upcoming FY - 2007 schedule is as follows:
Note that the school is open only to forensic chemists working for law enforcement agencies, and is intended for chemists who have completed their agency’s internal training program and have also been working on the bench for at least one year. There is no tuition charge for this course. The course is held at the AmeriSuites Hotel in Sterling, Virginia (near the Washington/Dulles International Airport). A copy of the application form is reproduced on the last page of the August 2004 issue of Microgram Bulletin. Completed applications should be mailed to the Special Testing and Research Laboratory (Attention: J. Kerlavage) at: 22624 Dulles Summit Court, Dulles, VA 20166. For additional information, call 703/668-3337.
* * * * *
In order for a Digital Evidence Laboratory to be American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board-International (ASCLD/LAB-International) accredited, it must have a Quality Assurance Program (QAP) that is administered by a Quality Assurance Manager (QAM). The QAM's role is to ensure that the laboratory is producing quality work in accordance with ISO 17025 standards, the laboratory's own Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's), and the supplemental rules and regulations of ASCLD/LAB-International. DEA's Digital Evidence Laboratory (SFL9) has specifically designated an examiner to be the Quality Assurance Program Manager (QAPM), who assists the Laboratory Director with all quality assurance issues. The SFL9 QAP includes a series of tests that are administered annually to all qualified examiners. The QAM and QAPM monitor the knowledge and analytical techniques of the examiners by administering peer reviews and both internal and external proficiency tests. The objective of the QAP is to assess each examiner's abilities and (where necessary) provide feedback in order to ensure high quality work. Peer Reviews A peer review is a unique quality control check that gives an examiner the opportunity to assess the quality of work produced by a fellow examiner, and potentially to learn new techniques or analytical processes. A peer review is a re-analysis of an already completed case, intended to confirm that all standard operating procedures and analytical protocols were properly followed. Check criteria include, e.g., that proper instrument calibration (Blank and Control) was done prior to the start of an examination, that a validated forensic image or copy of the media was used, and that the findings are supported by the methods that were used, and so on. Discrepancies (if any) are brought to the attention of the QAPM, where they are reviewed and discussed with the reviewer. Any errors found during the review are then discussed with the examiner and corrected; if necessary, remedial training may be administered. Proficiency Testing There are two basic types of proficiency tests: Internal and external. Both are required by ASCLD/LAB-International. An internal proficiency test is created and administered within the laboratory, while an external proficiency test is created and administered by an outside source, either an approved ASCLD/LAB test provider or (in the absence of an approved test provider) another Digital Evidence laboratory. Both types of tests are intended to document an examiner's abilities in performing basic examination procedures, to show that the methods are forensically valid, and that the findings are accurate. The QAPM has to administer an internal proficiency test to each examiner, annually. The test usually consists of a sample exhibit, on which the examiner must show that they have mastered basic computer forensic techniques, including recovery of e-mail, Internet history, registry information, file date and time stamp information, deleted files, etc. The exhibit is treated as evidence, and may be assigned with or without the examiner's knowledge that it is a test. The laboratory also has to take an external proficiency test (or tests). The external test usually consists of a sample exhibit that is assigned by the laboratory director. The scope of the examination, requirements, and the grading are determined by the test provider. Again, the exhibit is treated as evidence, and may be assigned with or without the examiner's knowledge that it is a test. Summary Quality Assurance is a collective effort, involving all laboratory personnel that are involved either in evidence analysis or in the review of analytical results and findings. It is the overall duty of the QAM to ensure that the laboratory is performing to high standards. The next article in this series will go into more detail concerning the other duties that the QAM must attend to, including re-analysis, validation, references, and more. Questions or comments? E-mail: Steven.L.Carter -at- usdoj.gov
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Photo 1
-hydroxy-17
-methylandrosta-1,4-dien-3-one; not
quantitated). Nine bottles contained yellow tablets (total net mass
of 900 capsules 157.3 grams); analysis (same techniques)
indicated dehydrochlormethyltestosterone with minor amounts of
stanozolol and methandrostenolone (not quantitated). This was
the first known submission of dehydrochlormethyltestosterone to
the DEA laboratory system. Despite the apparently commercial
packaging, this unusual steroid is not produced by any major
pharmaceutical company, and appears to be available only on the
black market. It is listed in The 2006 Prohibited List/World Anti-Doping Code. Hefei Anhui is
a provincial capital in the People’s Republic of China.
Photo 8 
Photo 12