|
|
Published by the Drug Enforcement Administration Office of Forensic Sciences Washington, D.C. 20537 The U. S. Attorney General has determined that the publication of this periodical is necessary in the transaction of the public business required by the Department of Justice. Information, instructions, and disclaimers are published in the January issues.
- INTELLIGENCE ALERT -
KETAMINE IN WINE BOTTLES IN EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN The Michigan State Police Lansing Forensic Laboratory recently received three "Sutter Home" wine bottles each containing approximately 750 milliliters of clear, slightly yellow liquid, suspected gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) or gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) (see Photo 1). The bottles were seized at a common carrier facility in East Lansing by the Tri-County Metro Narcotics Squad (Michigan State Police Task Force). Analysis of the liquid from one randomly selected bottle by GC/MS and FT-IR, however, indicated not GHB or GBL but rather ketamine HCl. A crude gravimetric quantitation and recrystallization showed that the approximate 750 milliliters in the sampled bottle contained 68.05 grams of ketamine HCl. The other two bottles were not analyzed. This is the first encounter with ketamine solutions in wine bottles by the Laboratory.
* * * * *
- INTELLIGENCE ALERT - OPIUM "TOOTSIE ROLLS" INSIDE A CASKET FROM THAILAND The DEA North Central Laboratory (Chicago, Illinois) recently received 38 rectangular packages consisting of clear packaging tape over a brown leafy substance over flat rolled pieces of plastic containing a black tacky substance, suspected opium (see Photo 2 and Photo 3). The packets (which are locally known as "Tootsie Rolls") varied in size from 1 x 1 x 1 inch to 1 x 1 x 16 inches, and were originally seized by U.S. Customs Service Inspectors from a casket arriving at the Los Angeles International Airport on a flight from Thailand. The casket was control delivered to an individual in St. Paul, Minnesota by the DEA Minneapolis-St. Paul Resident Office, prior to submission to the Laboratory. Analysis of the material (total net mass 5.960 kilograms, not including wrappings and packaging) by color testing, GC, and MS indicated meconin, codeine, morphine, thebaine, and papaverine, confirming opium. The brown leafy substance was tentatively identified as bamboo leaves. These packets are regularly seized by local law enforcement personnel from Hmong expatriates residing in the upper Midwest; however, this was the first encounter with this smuggling technique by the North Central Laboratory.
* * * * *
The DEA Mid-Atlantic Laboratory (Largo, Maryland) recently received five different varieties of "lotion" bottles, each containing a plastic bag of pasty white material, suspected wet cocaine (see Photo 4, below). The exhibits were seized by the United States Customs Service at the Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) Airport. Analysis of the exhibit (total net mass from the bottles was 881.4 grams) by color testing, GC, GC/MS, and FT-IR confirmed 59 percent cocaine hydrochloride. This was the laboratory's first encounter with this type of smuggling technique.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement Tampa Crime Laboratory recently received a polydrug submission from the Polk County Sheriff's Office that included two "home-made", light green tablets, allegedly a mixture "kind of like Soma and Valium". The tablets were seized during a probation check from a local drug user who is a so-called "Mikey" (a volunteer "guinea pig" who is willing to "test" (by self-administration) illicit drugs and drug mixtures of virtually any type). Other drugs seized in the same case included methamphetamine residue on charred foil, lorazepam powder and tablet fragments, a methadone tablet, and possible tramadone tablets (the latter were not analyzed, but were tentatively identified by tablet markings). The home-made tablets were unmarked, half-scored on one face, 12 millimeters in diameter, and had an average weight of 600 milligrams (see Photo 5). Preliminary analysis of a chloroform extract of one quarter of a tablet (from a 5% NaHC03 solution) by GC/MS suggested fentanyl. Analysis of a methanol extract (1 mL) of the remaining three-fourths of the tablet by GC and GC/MS confirmed fentanyl (quantitation not performed). This is the first time a tablet preparation of fentanyl has been encountered by the Laboratory. * * * * *
NANDRALONE IN NEWARK, CALIFORNIA The Alameda County Sheriff's Office Criminalistics Laboratory (San Leandro, California) recently received an interesting polydrug submission consisting of five pentagonal red tablets, suspected ecstasy, and two small cardboard boxes each containing a factory-sealed amber bottle, labelled in Spanish as containing ketamine and nandralone, respectively. The exhibits were seized pursuant to a consent search in Newark, California by the Fremont Police Department (Newark is located a few miles southwest of Fremont). The tablets measured approximately 4 millimeters on each side, and had a "T" logo on one side and a half-score on the other side (see Photo 6). Analysis by GC-MS, however, indicated not MDMA but rather stanozolol (not quantitated). The first box was marked: "...Ttokkyo Centenido Neto: 10 mL...Kettamina 1000...", and the factory-sealed bottle within was similarly marked "...Kettamina 1000..." (see Photo 7). Analysis of the liquid contents by FTIR/ATR and GC-MS confirmed ketamine (not quantitated). The second box was marked: "...Anabolico Esteroide Nandrolona 300 L.A....Contenido neto 10 ml..." and the factory-sealed bottle within was similarly marked: "...Anabolico Esteroide Contenido neto 10 ml. Nandrolona 300 L.A...." (see Photo 8); the fine print on both the box and bottle indicated that this was also a product of Ttokkyo Laboratories. Analysis of the liquid contents by GC-MS confirmed nandrolone decanoate (not quantitated). This is the first time any of these products have been encountered at the Laboratory. As a side note, Ttokkyo Laboratories (a notorious source of ketamine and anabolic steroids, situated in various locales in Mexico) was shut down by local authorities in October 2002 (for additional information, see: http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/cas/cas21002.1.htm)
* * * * * - INTELLIGENCE BRIEF -
PENITENTIARY IN BEAUMONT, TEXAS The Jefferson County Regional Crime Laboratory (Beaumont, Texas) recently received two separate submissions of unknown greenish colored powders inside a small plastic bags, total net masses 0.63 grams and 0.83 grams, respectively (photos not taken). The exhibits had been seized by security personnel at the prison, and had been secreted within Muscle Fit and Maxim magazines, respectively, for attempted smuggling to inmates (further details not available). Analysis by spot tests and GC-MS indicated morphine in both exhibits (not quantitated). This was the first submission of greenish colored morphine to the Crime Laboratory.
* * * * *
The DEA Western Laboratory (San Francisco, California) recently received a 3.3 gram sample of clear crystalline material, suspected "ICE" methamphetamine (circumstances of seizure not provided due to ongoing investigation). "ICE" methamphetamine is (by definition) high-purity d-methamphetamine hydrochloride; it is usually encountered as large, clear or white-clear crystals, and is typically ingested by smoking. Analysis by Marquis color testing and GC-FID of the N-trifluoroacetyl-L-prolyl derivative, however, indicated not the d- isomer but rather 99 percent l-methamphetamine hydrochloride. No synthetic route information was developed during the analyses. The laboratory later received a 2670 gram submission from the same case, packaged in six ziplock plastic bags that were further sealed in vacuum-packed, heat-sealed plastic bags. The crystalline material was again clear and the individual crystals were large [see Photo 9]. Analysis indicated that four of the bags contained mixtures of d- and l-methamphetamine hydrochloride in roughly a 3:1 ratio (favoring the d- isomer). The remaining two bags were found to have a similar mixture, but in roughly a 1:10 ratio (favoring the l-isomer). Quantitative analysis of a composite sample from all six bags determined the overall purity to be 96 percent. The DEA laboratory system has encountered a number of similar samples over the past two years. [Editor's Notes: The literature suggests that d-methamphetamine is between five and ten times more potent than the l- isomer; however, this does not correspond to differences in efficacy or abuse potential, since abusers can compensate merely by taking more of the l- isomer.]
* * * * * - INTELLIGENCE BRIEF -
ANALYSIS OF THE POPPY CAPSULES FROM THE SIERRA NATIONAL FOREST SEIZURE
[Editor's Preface: The referenced seizure occurred in June 2003, and was reported in detail in the August and September 2003 issues of Microgram Bulletin.] The DEA Special Testing and Research Laboratory (Dulles, Virginia) recently received 18 opium poppy capsules from the June 2003 seizure of the large opium poppy field in the Sierra National Forest, California. [Note: According to the National Forestry Service, there were 40,000 to 50,000 plants in the field, with an average height of three feet, and three to five capsules per plant (see Photo 10). All capsules showed vertical lancing marks on their exteriors (see Photo 11, showing a lanced capsule at the field, bleeding latex).] The capsules (total net mass 15.1 grams) had been thoroughly dried to prevent natural decomposition during transit, and (as a result) several of them had burst open and dispersed seeds into the evidence envelope prior to analysis. The average diameter of the capsules was found to be 19.1 mm and the average height was 20.8 mm. It was not determined whether these capsules represented 'typical' capsules in the field; however, the capsules forwarded to the laboratory were relatively small compared to typical opium poppies from other opium producing regions in the world. The analysis started by separating the capsules by cutting them off just above the petal scar (i.e., where the flower petals were once attached). The seeds were then removed from the capsules, and the remaining parts of the capsules (mostly hull) were crushed into a uniform mass of small fragments. Analysis of an extract of the hull material by GC/MS (with quantitation by CE ) confirmed 0.4 percent morphine, 0.1 percent codeine, 0.06 percent thebaine, 0.2 percent noscapine, and 0.08 percent papaverine, all calculated at the base. This corresponded to 2 milligrams of morphine base per capsule, or roughly 360 grams of morphine for the entire field. It is unknown whether the field was being cultivated for production of opium gum (for which there is a growing market in the U.S.) or for eventual production of heroin.
The following list (alphabetized by country) represents non-U.S. organizations that have dropped off the Microgram subscription e-net. Virtually all of these organizations failed to respond to last year's multiple subscription re-validation requests. Many represent offices or laboratories that closed or moved years or even decades ago. A few provided invalid email addresses, or provided email addresses that have since become invalid. The Office of Forensic Sciences requests your assistance in tracking down these organizations, and (if they are still interested in receiving Microgram Bulletin and Microgram Journal) asking them to provide an accurate email address to the Microgram Editor. Note that personal names and/or street addresses have been redacted for security reasons; however, the provided information should be adequate to identify those organizations that are still operational. If the office or laboratory has closed or consolidated, or is operational but simply not interested in remaining on the subscription e-net, that information would also be appreciated. All responses should be emailed to the Editor at: microgram_editor@mailsnare.net All organizations for which no response is received will be deleted from the subscription database at the end of this year.
|
