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FENTANYL SOLD AS COCAINE IN LAKE COUNTY, OHIO
The Lake County Crime Laboratory (Painesville, Ohio) recently received a plastic baggie containing an inhomogeneous white powder, suspected to be cocaine but later alleged by the suspect to possibly be crushed Vicodin® (see Photo 1). The exhibit was seized by a Lake County Deputy Sheriff from the floor of a gas station restroom in Painesville, where the male subject had been discovered unresponsive and struggling to breathe (subsequent investigation revealed that he was a cocaine addict and was in a drug rehab program). Analysis of the homogenized powder (total net mass 0.71 grams) by GC/MS and FTIR, however, indicated not cocaine or hydrocodone (i.e., Vicodin®) but rather 23 percent fentanyl, 0.7 percent despropionyl fentanyl, trace (0.1 percent) cocaine, and 62 percent mannitol. This was the first such submission to the Lake County Crime Laboratory. [Editor’s Notes: Although there have been multiple anecdotal reports of cocaine/fentanyl mixtures during the ongoing epidemic of heroin/fentanyl-related overdoses and deaths, this is the first such case reported to Microgram Bulletin. However, the analyst suspects that the trace cocaine in the exhibit may actually have been the result of contamination either from reuse of the plastic baggie, or by the distributor during formulation (i.e., it was not intended to be a cocaine/fentanyl mixture). No information was available as to the source of the material. Creatine monohydrate and Seroquel® (a prescription antipsychotic) were also seized from the subject’s vehicle. The percent fentanyl in this case (23 percent) was extraordinarily high for a “street sample”; however, due to early discovery and rapid emergency response, the subject survived.] * * * * * - INTELLIGENCE ALERT - HIGH PURITY FENTANYL SEIZED NEAR WESTMORELAND, CALIFORNIA
The DEA Southwest Laboratory (Vista, California) recently received a multi-exhibit submission consisting of: A) 31 packages of an off-white crystalline material wrapped in brown tape and multiple layers of plastic and grease, suspected methamphetamine; B) a plastic container that also contained the same off-white crystalline material, also suspected methamphetamine; C) a clear plastic ziplock bag containing a loose white powder, suspected cocaine; and D) a package containing a semi-compressed white material wrapped in layers of plastic and brown tape, also suspected cocaine (see Photo 2 for the two suspected cocaine exhibits). The exhibits were seized by U.S. Border Patrol Agents from a vehicle transiting the California Highway 86 checkpoint north of Westmoreland, California. Analysis of the suspected methamphetamine exhibits (total net mass 13.85 kilograms) by GC, ATR, GC/MS, and LC confirmed 95 percent d-methamphetamine hydrochloride. Analysis of the suspected cocaine exhibits (total net mass 945.1 grams) by GC, ATR, GC/MS, and LC, however, indicated not cocaine but rather 83 percent fentanyl hydrochloride. The immediate precursor 4-anilino-N-phenethylpiperidine (ANPP) was also identified in the sample (quantitation not reported). The Southwest Laboratory has analyzed numerous fentanyl-containing and related exhibits from two clandestine laboratories recently seized in southern California; however, these exhibits are believed to have originated in Mexico. [Editor’s Notes: This seizure has been widely reported, and is of concern to front-line law enforcement and laboratory personnel due to the potentially serious health consequences resulting from fentanyl exposure. The salt form and presence of ANPP confirm that the fentanyl in the case was clandestinely manufactured, and its extraordinarily high purity indicates production by an experienced laboratory operator. It is suspected that this individual is the source for the fentanyl responsible for the ongoing epidemic of heroin/fentanyl-related overdoses and deaths in the northeastern and upper mideastern United States. * * * * * - INTELLIGENCE ALERT - ECSTASY TABLETS CONTAINING MDMA AND 3,4-METHYLENEDIOXY-
The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office Criminalistics Laboratory (Mission, Kansas) recently received a multi-exhibit submission consisting of: A) three bags of white powder (confirmed cocaine); B) two red, round tablets with an apple logo (confirmed MDMA); and C) two and one half white, round tablets with a stylized “X” (cross or crossbones) logo, suspected MDMA (see Photo 3). The exhibits were seized by the Mission Police Department pursuant to a DUI traffic stop in Mission. The “X” tablets were approximately 8 millimeters in diameter by 4 millimeters in thickness, and were rather crudely manufactured (average weight not determined, but typical of Ecstasy tablets). Analysis by GC/MS confirmed primarily MDMA, but also a small amount of 3,4-methylenedioxydimethylamphetamine (MDDMA) and caffeine, in an approximate 100 : 3 : 1 ratio based on the TIC. MDDMA is a structural isomer of 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA); therefore, the identification was confirmed via comparison with an authentic standard provided by the DEA. The MDMA was not formally quantitated, but the loading appeared to be typical of Ecstasy tablets. These were the first confirmed tablets containing MDDMA, and also the first tablets with the stylized “X” logo, submitted to the laboratory. [Additional Information: As noted above, MDDMA and MDEA are closely related structural isomers; therefore, their GC retention times and mass spectra are expected to be similar. In fact, using an HP-5MS column and the laboratory’s standard MDMA analysis parameters, the retention times only differed by approximately 0.1 minutes. Both mass spectra display a small molecular ion at m/z = 206, and are dominated by the parent ion at m/z = 72. The most significant differences between the two compounds are the 44 and the 135 ions. MDDMA has 44 and 135 ions at approximately 2% and 3% relative to the 72 ion, while MDEA has 44 and 135 ions at approximately 11% and 9% relative to the 72 ion. There is also an absence (or near absence) of a 95 ion in the MDEA spectrum. The full scale and expanded mass spectra of MDDMA and MDEA are displayed on the next two pages.] * * * * *
FULL SCALE MASS SPECTRA OF MDDMA AND MDEA
EXPANDED SCALE MASS SPECTRA OF MDDMA AND MDEA * * * * * [Editor’s Notes: For a recent article on MDDMA and MDEA, see: Vande Casteele SR. LC-MS/MS in the elucidation of an isomer of the recreational drug methylenedioxyethylamphetamine: Methylenedioxydimethylamphetamine. Journal of Separation Science 2005;28:1729. For a recent case report of tablets containing MDDMA, see: Anonymous. Ecstasy Mimic Tablets (Containing Caffeine, Methamphetamine, Lidocaine, and an Unknown Phenethylamine) in Broward County, Florida. Microgram Bulletin 2006;39(2):18.] * * * * * - INTELLIGENCE ALERT - HEROIN CAPSULES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE The New Hampshire State Police Forensic Laboratory (Concord) recently received a multi-exhibit submission consisting of: A) hand-rolled cigarettes containing marijuana; B) pharmaceutical tablets containing hydrocodone and acetaminophen; C) pharmaceutical tablets containing oxycodone and acetaminophen; and D) 20 clear capsules containing a light brown powder, unknown/suspected controlled substance (photo not taken). The exhibits were seized by the New Hampshire Drug Task Force in central New Hampshire (exact locale and circumstances of seizure not available). The capsules were 23 millimeters long and 9 millimeters in diameter. Analysis of the powder (total net mass 5.32 grams) by color testing (Marquis), UV, GC, and GC/MS identified heroin, promethazine, procaine, and caffeine (not formally quantitated, but in approximately a 100 : 50 : 10 : 10 ratio). This was the first such submission to the laboratory. * * * * * - INTELLIGENCE ALERT - LSD BLOTTER ACID MIMICS (CONTAINING 2,5-DIMETHOXY-4-CHLORO- The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (West Palm Beach, Florida) recently received 32 off white, 1/4 inch square pieces of blotter paper (total net mass 0.36 grams), suspected LSD (photo not available). The exhibits were acquired in Boca Raton by the Boca Raton Police Department. Although typical of LSD blotter acid in appearance, the paper did not fluoresce under UV, and methanolic extracts spotted on filter paper did not give the characteristic purple color when treated with Ehrlich’s reagent (PDAB). Further analysis of the methanolic extracts by GC and GC/MS indicated not LSD but rather 2,5-dimethoxy-4-chloroamphetamine, also known as DOC (not quantitated, but a fairly high loading based on the gas chromatogram). This is the first ever submission of DOC to the laboratory.
- INTELLIGENCE ALERT - COCAINE IN WICKER BASKETS (FROM PERU) AT THE GEORGE
The Houston Police Department Crime Laboratory (Texas) recently received 38 well-crafted decorative wicker baskets (three different sizes) suspected to contain cocaine (see Photo 4). The baskets were shipped as air freight on a flight arriving at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport from Peru, and were seized in a combined operation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel and the Houston Police Department. The vertical supports in the baskets actually consisted of plastic drinking straws wrapped with wicker-colored paper and capped at both ends with genuine wicker plugs, to give them an authentic appearance; each straw contained a fine white powder (see Photo 5, next page). There were approximately 200 straws in all, containing a total net weight of 12.3 kilograms of powder. Analysis by GC/MS, FTIR ATR, and UV/Vis confirmed 76 percent cocaine hydrochloride. Unusually, the cocaine in (only) the smaller baskets was also adulterated with lidocaine (not quantitated). This was the first such submission to the laboratory. [Editor’s Notes: This seizure is somewhat similar to one reported in the February 2006 issue of Microgram Bulletin. In that case, the cocaine was contained in plastic sleeves that were wrapped with brightly colored cloths, which were then used as the wickers for the basket. Those baskets arrived at the Miami International Airport on a flight from Haiti.]
* * * * * - INTELLIGENCE ALERT - COCAINE IN BAMBOO STICKS (FROM GUYANA) AT JFK AIRPORT, NEW YORK
The DEA Northeast Laboratory (New York, New York) recently received 73 bamboo sticks, each about 1 foot long, each containing a white powder, suspected cocaine (see Photo 6). The exhibits were shipped from Guyana, and were seized by Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel at the JFK Airport mail handling facility. Analysis of the powder (total net mass 876.9 grams) by GC/FID, GC/MS, and FT IR/ATR confirmed 78 percent cocaine hydrochloride, adulterated with methylephedrine and diltiazem (adulterants not quantitated). The Northeast Laboratory routinely receives cocaine concealed in a wide variety of containers, but this was the first ever submission of a controlled substance in bamboo sticks. It is unknown what (if anything) the sticks were supposed to be. * * * * * - INTELLIGENCE ALERT - HEROIN IN FALSE CAPACITORS IN COMPUTER POWER UNITS (FROM VENEZUELA) AT MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, FLORIDA
The DEA Southeast Laboratory (Miami, Florida) recently received 35 computer power units, each containing 8 apparent capacitors attached to their internal circuit boards, each of which contained a light brown powder, suspected heroin (see Photos 7 and 8). The exhibits were seized by Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel from an international shipping company flight arriving at Miami International Airport from Caracas, Venezuela. Unusually, the power units were intact and appeared to be functional, despite the installation of the false capacitors. The powder (total net mass 4.928 kilograms in 256 capacitors) was wrapped in plastic before insertion into the capacitors, and each capacitor was then sealed with wax. Analysis by GC/MS and FTIR confirmed 75 percent heroin hydrochloride. This is the first submission of this type to the Southeast Laboratory. [Editor’s Note: A very similar submission was reported in the June 2004 issue of Microgram Bulletin. In that case, nine large capacitors that were attached to a circuit board were also found to contain heroin (in this latter case, the circuit board was standalone - not enclosed in anything else). At least two more of these circuit boards were seized subsequent to the initial report. Similar to the current seizure, all three of the circuit board/capacitor units in those cases were seized off flights arriving from Venezuela (in those cases, to the airport in Philadelphia). In addition, a somewhat similar submission was reported in the March 2002 issue of Microgram (note that this issue is law enforcement restricted). In that seizure, “metallic tubes” (similar in appearance to large capacitors) containing heroin were found inside a CPU case. The seizure was made in New York City (not at an airport), and the original source of the CPU case was not reported.] * * * * * - INTELLIGENCE ALERT - ECSTASY MIMIC TABLETS (CONTAINING AMPHETAMINE SULFATE) The DEA South Central Laboratory (Dallas, Texas) recently received eight 1.5 quart plastic bags containing a total of 17,290 rather poorly manufactured, white, round tablets with a faint “Tasmanian Devil” logo, suspected MDMA (see Photos 9 and 10). The bags had been hidden in a large pipe inside an abandoned storage unit in Gulfport, Mississippi, and were seized by a local Task Force Officer. The tablets were approximately 11 millimeters in diameter and 2.5 millimeters in width, and had an average weight of 248 milligrams. Analysis by NMR, GC/MS, FTIR, and HPLC, however, indicated not MDMA but rather amphetamine sulfate (38 milligrams per tablet). The salt form and lack of clandestine manufacturing impurities indicate that the amphetamine in this case was very likely diverted from pharmaceutical stocks. Although the DEA laboratory system has previously received tablets containing amphetamine sulfate, this is an unusually large seizure of such tablets, especially for the South Central Laboratory.
* * * * * - INTELLIGENCE BRIEF - KHAT NEAR TOLEDO, OHIO The Ohio State Highway Patrol Crime Laboratory (Columbus, Ohio) recently received two black pieces of luggage and two red duffel bags, containing in total 490 leaf-wrapped bundles of plant material, presumed khat (photo not available). The exhibits were seized by the Findlay District Patrol Headquarters - Criminal Patrol Unit pursuant to a traffic stop on I-80 West near Toledo. The plant material (total net mass 42.74 kilograms) was frozen upon arrival at the laboratory to prevent conversion of cathinone to cathine while awaiting workup. After methanolic extraction, standard acid/base workup, and back-extraction with butyl chloride, analysis by GC/FID and GC/MS identified cathinone and cathine, confirming khat (not quantitated). This was the second large submission of khat to the laboratory this year. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 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.] 1. Amini A, Barclay V, Rundlof T, Jonsson S, Karlsson A, Arvidsson T. Determination of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and caffeine in a dietary product by capillary electrophoresis. Chromatographia 2006;63(3-4):143. [Editor’s Notes: Presents the title study (two different CE methods were used). Contact: Med Prod Agcy, Box 26, Dag Hammarskjolds Vag 42, S-75103 Uppsala, Sweden.] 2. Awad T, Clark CR, DeRuiter J. Chromatographic and mass spectral studies on methoxymethcathinones related to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine. Journal of Chromatographic Science 2006;44(3):155. [Editor’s Notes: Abstract not available. Contact: Auburn Univ, Sch Pharm, Dept Pharmacal Sci, Auburn, AL 36849.] 3. Bertea CM, Luciano P, Bossi S, Leoni F, Baiocchi C, Medana C, Azzolin CMM, Temporale G, Lombardozzi MA, Maffei ME. PCR and PCR-RFLP of the 5S-rRNA-NTS region and salvinorin A analyses for the rapid and unequivocal determination of Salvia divinorum. Phytochemistry 2006;67:371. [Editor’s Notes: HPLC/MS and DNA fingerprinting were used to differentiate between Salvia divinorum and Salvia officinalis. Contact: Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Turin, Via P. Giuria 5, 10125 Turin, Italy.] 4. Burnett A, Fan W, Upadhya P, Cunningham J, Linfield E, Davies G, Edwards H, Munshi T, O’Neil A. Analysis of drugs-of-abuse and explosives using terahertz time-domain and Raman spectroscopy. (Proceedings) Chemical Abstracts 2006:300182. 5. Dixon SJ, Brereton RG, Carter JF, Sleeman R. Determination of cocaine contamination on banknotes using tandem mass spectrometry and pattern recognition. Analytica Chimica Acta 2006;559(1):54. [Editor’s Notes: Presents the title study. The technique aids in discriminating cases of “background” contamination from genuine case contamination. Contact: Centre for Chemometrics, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantocks Close, Bristol, UK BS8 1TS.] 6. Heegel RA, Northrop DM. “One-Pot” methamphetamine manufacture via the lithium-ammonia method with multi-ingredient, liquid, and/or soft-gel pseudoephedrine preparations. Journal of the Clandestine Laboratory Investigating Chemists Association 2006;16(1):25. [Editor’s Notes: Details withheld in accordance with Microgram policy. Note that JCLICA is a law enforcement restricted journal. Contact: Washington State Patrol, Marysville Crime Laboratory, 2700 116th Street, NE Suite P, Marysville, Washington 98271.] 7. Leger MN, Ryder AG. Comparison of derivative preprocessing and automated polynomial baseline correction method for classification and quantification of narcotics in solid mixtures. Applied Spectroscopy 2006;60(2):182. [Editor’s Notes: Presents the title study, focusing on Raman spectroscopy of “illegal narcotics” (cocaine, heroin, and MDMA are specifically mentioned in the abstract). Contact: Department of Chemistry and National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science, National University of Ireland-Galway, Galway, Ire.] 8. Love DW, Orlando PM. Examining the specificity of anhydrous ammonia analytical techniques. Journal of the Clandestine Laboratory Investigating Chemists Association 2006;16(1):14. [Editor’s Notes: A comprehensive overview of methods for both the presumptive and rigorous identification of anhydrous ammonia. Note that JCLICA is a law enforcement restricted journal. Contact: DEA Southwest Laboratory, 2815 Scott St., Vista, CA 92081.] 9. Medana C, Massolino C, Pazzi M, Balocchi C. Determination of salvinorins and divinatorins in Salvia divinorum leaves by liquid chromatography/multistage mass spectrometry. Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry 2006;20:131. [Editor’s Notes: Presents the title study; six salvinorins and three divinatorins were isolated and characterized. Contact: Dipartimento di Chimica Analitica, Universita degli Studi di Torino, Via P. Giuria 5, 10125 Torino, Italy.] 10. Moorehead W. Practical identity using microcrystal tests. Microscope 2005;53(2):73. [Editor’s Notes: A review, emphasizing the benefits of using microcrystal tests (focusing on analysis of drugs). Contact: Orange County Sheriff - Coroner Department, Santa Ana, CA 92703.] 11. Noppe H, Voelmans S, Verheyden K, De Brabander H, Van Hoof N. Current studies in residue analysis methodology. Vlaams Diergeneeskundig Tijdshrift 2005;74(5):340. [Editor’s Notes: A review of residue analyses, focusing on controlled substances. This article is written in Dutch. Contact: Onderzoeksgroep Veterinaire Volksgezondheid en Zoonosen, Vakgroep Veterinaire Volksgezondheid en Voedselveiligheid, Laboratorium voor Chemische Analyse, Faculteit Diergeneeskunde, Universiteit Gent, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belg.] 12. Ogawa Y, Shibuya T, Otani C, Kawase K. Inspection of illicit drugs in envelopes using terahertz imaging. Hikari Araiansu 2006;17(2):12. [Editor’s Notes: Presents the title study; methamphetamine and cocaine are specifically cited in the abstract. This article is written in Japanese. Contact: Grad. Sch. Agric., Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan 981-8555.] 13. Pacifico D, Miselli F, Micheler M, Carboni A, Ranalli P, Mandolino G. Genetics and marker-assisted selection of the chemotype in Cannabis sativa L. Molecular Breeding 2006;17(3):257. [Editor’s Notes: The cannabinoid content of various samples was determined by GC, and the results compared with the samples’ chemotypes. Contact: Instituto Sperimentale per le Colture Industriali, Via di Corticella 133, Bologna 40128, Italy.] 14. Panno BA, Johnson P, Aide M, Fasnachi MP. Using Li+ extracted from soils at clandestine methamphetamine labs to estimate methamphetamine production. Journal of the Clandestine Laboratory Investigating Chemists Association 2006;16(1):7. [Editor’s Notes: Presents the title study. Note that JCLICA is a law enforcement restricted journal. Contact: Southeast Missouri State University, Chemistry Department, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701.] 15. Sleeman R, Carter J, Ebejer K. Drugs on money and beyond: Tandem mass spectrometry in the forensic sciences. Spectroscopy Europe 2005-2006;17(6):10. [Editor’s Notes: A minor review. Contact: Mass Spec Analytical Ltd., Filton, Bristol, UK BS99 7AR.] 16. Sleeman R, Carter J, Ebejer K. Comments on: Esteve-Turillas FA, et al.. Validated, non-destructive, and environmentally friendly determination of cocaine in euro bank notes. (Journal of Chromatography A 2005;1065(2):321.) Journal of Chromatography A 2006;1108(2):285; and response by the authors: Journal of Chromatography A 2006;1108(2):287.) 17. Souverain S, Geiser L, Rudaz S, Veuthey JL. Strategies for rapid chiral analysis by capillary electrophoresis. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis 2006;40(2):235. [Editor’s Notes: Presents the title study, with the objective of reducing analysis times. Substrates included amphetamine and four (unspecified) “related compounds”. Contact: Univ Geneva, Sch Pharmaceut Sci, Lab Pharmaceut Analyt Chem, Bd Yvoy 20, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland.] 18. Vandrish G, Nguyen DH, Berry S, Klymowsky C, Parent M, Locquaio S. Multi-zonal detection of explosives, narcotics, and other chemical substances. (Patent) Chemical Abstracts 2006:359669. 19. Wu G, Cai X, Xiang B. Forensic identification of ecstasy (MDMA) by pattern recognition. Zhongguo Yaoke Daxue Xuebao 2005;36(2):150. [Editor’s Notes: Uses GC/MS and SIMCA to identify synthetic routes for MDMA. This article is written in Chinese. (This article appears to be quite similar to another article by the same authors: Identification of synthesis routes of “Ecstasy” by GC-MS coupled soft independent modeling of class analogies. Sepu 2005;23(2):214.) Contact: Center for Instrumental Analysis, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, Peop. Rep. China.] 20. Zgonjanin DM, Loncar ES, Tasic MM. Analysis of forensic samples of “Ecstasy” tablets seized in Novi Sad during the 2004 year. Acta Periodica Technologica 2005;36:247. [Editor’s Notes: Presents the title study. 121 different type tablets from 93 separate seizures were analyzed, using a variety of techniques. Contact: Clinical Centre Novi Sad, Institute of Forensic Medicine, Novi Sad 21000, Serbia and Montenegro.] Additional References of Possible Interest: 1. Hollifield JM. Flow chart for the rapid identification of inorganic compounds using PLM. Microscope 2005;53(3):99. [Editor’s Notes: Presents the title study. Contact: Micro Analytical, Greenville, SC 29609.] 2. Mroczek T, Glowniak K, Kowalska J. Solid-liquid extraction and cation-exchange solid-phase extraction using a mixed-mode polymeric sorbent of Datura and related alkaloids. Journal of Chromatography A 2006;1107(1-2):9. [Editor’s Notes: Presents the title study, focusing on scopolamine and hyoscyamine. Contact: Med Univ Lublin, Dept Pharmacognosy, 1 Chodzki St, PL-20093 Lublin, Poland.] 3. Pjilman FTA, Rigter SM, Hoek J, Goldschmidt HMJ, Niesink RJM. Strong increase in total delta-THC in cannabis preparations sold in Dutch coffee shops. Addiction Biology 2005;10(2):171. [Editor’s Notes: Presents the title study, for 2004. Contact: Trimbos Institute for Mental Health and Addiction, 3500 AS Utrecht, Neth.] 4. Reffner JA. Infrared microprobe analysis using reflection methods. Microscope 2005;53(1):33. [Editor’s Notes: A review. Contact: Smiths Detection, Stamford, CT 06902.] 5. Seto Y. Alkyl nitrites. Drugs and Poisons in Humans 2005:153. [Editor’s Notes: A review; includes methods for analysis of alkyl nitrites. Contact: National Research Institute of Police Science, Chiba, Japan.] 6. Skulska A, Kala M, Parczewski A. Fentanyl and its analogues in the forensic laboratory. Medical and analytical problems. Z Zagadnien Nauk Sadowych 2004;59:127. [Editor’s Notes: An overview. Focus is analysis in complex biological matrices. Contact: Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland.] 7. Sproll C. New methods of morphine analysis in food. No intoxication from poppy cake. CLB Chemie in Labor und Biotechnik 2005;56(10):348. [Editor’s Notes: Uses HPLC-MS/MS to analyze for morphine, codeine, and other alkaloids. This article is written in German. Contact: Chemisches und Veterinaruntersuchungsamt, Karlsruhe, Germany.] 8. Zweig SE. From smart tags to brilliant tags: Advances in drug stability monitoring. BioPharm International 2005;18(11):36. [Editor’s Notes: An introduction to the title devices, with discussion of potential uses in tagging sensitive pharmaceuticals and vaccines. Contact: CliniSense Corporation, Los Gatos, CA 15466.] * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS 1.
Title: 16th Annual CLIC Technical Training Seminar (Second
Posting) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * NEW EMAIL ADDRESSES NEEDED The email addresses for the following organizations returned rejection notices to the Microgram Editor for at least the past three issues of Microgram Bulletin, and therefore the respective organizations have been dropped from the subscription list. Note that the errors include “mailbox full”, “over quota”, “user not found”, or “user unknown” messages, and also a variety of anti-spam/filtering rejection messages (the latter resulting from failure to “whitelist” the microgram_editor@mailsnare.net address). The Microgram Editor requests your assistance in contacting these organizations, determining if they wish to remain on the Microgram subscription e-net, and if so asking them to forward a valid email address to the microgram_editor@mailsnare.net address. In addition, if the Office has closed or is known to be no longer interested, please forward that information to the Microgram Editor. U.S. Subscribers (by State, except U.S. Government organizations): Alaska - Wasilla Police Department; Arizona - DPS Western Regional Laboratory (Lake Havasu City); Arkansas - Conway Police Department; California - CHP/Investigative Services Unit (Los Angeles); San Diego Sheriff’s Crime Laboratory; Thermo Electron Corporation (San Jose); Connecticut - Ciencia, Inc. (Hartford); Kansas - Kiowa County Sheriff; Maine - Biddeford Police Department; Michigan - Michigan State Police/Bridgeport Forensic Science Laboratory; Minnesota - Lower Sioux Tribal Police Department (Morton); Missouri - Independence Police Department; New Jersey - Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office; New York - New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (Albany); Rochester/Office of the Medical Examiner; Suffolk County Crime Laboratory; North Carolina - Asheboro Police Department; Forsyth County - EAD Crime Laboratory (Winston-Salem); Texas - Tarrant County Medical Examiners Office; U.S. Government - DOE/Lawrence-Livermore National Laboratory; USAF - HQSAF/SF; U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Laboratory (Forest Park, Georgia); Virginia - Virginia Beach Police Department; Washington, DC - Office of the Chief Medical Examiner; Wyoming - Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (Evanston). Non-U.S. Subscribers (by Country): Canada - Health Canada/Drug Analysis Service (Longueil, Quebec); RCMP Forensic Laboratory (Winnipeg, Manitoba); Denmark - Aarhus Universitet/Institute of Forensic Medicine; France - Laboratoire de Police Scientifique de Lille; Germany - BKA/Wiesbaden; Landeskriminalamt Bayer (Muenchen); Landeskriminalamt Berlin; Hong Kong - Hong Kong Police Force - Narcotics Bureau (Wanchai); Iceland - University of Iceland/Department of Pharmacology (Reykjavik); Switzerland - Swiss Customs Administration - DEA/Bern; United Kingdom - Laboratory of the Government Chemist/Middlesex; Southhampton University Hospitals - Critical Care Unit/Hampshire; West Indies - Trinidad and Tobago Forensic Science Center. * * * * *
Mobile phones have become one of the most preferred methods of communication in today's technology hungry world. Not surprisingly, mobile phones have also become quite popular among criminals, and have played an ever increasing role in their illicit activities. Thus, mobile phones can offer unique and potentially invaluable investigative information and leads for law enforcement personnel. Mobile Phone Forensics is the science of retrieving digital data from a mobile phone using approved methods and under forensically sound conditions. This includes the examination of data found in the phone's internal memory, Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card, and memory card(s). Recoverable data typically includes contact numbers, incoming calls, sent and missed calls, call times, Short Message Service (SMS) messages, text, images, and videos. The major challenges for the computer forensic investigator is how to download and extract this information, and then to organize and communicate the findings to the case agent in a rapid and efficient manner. Unfortunately, with wireless communication technologies changing on seemingly a daily basis, it has become increasingly difficult for the law enforcement community to acquire and maintain the tools and expertise needed to properly conduct mobile phone forensics. Available Technologies Today's mobile phone devices come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes. Much more importantly, however, they also have quite a wide variety of capabilities. Even the least sophisticated models can be password protected, and can store hundreds of individuals' contact information, while more advanced models can take and store both digital photos and even digital video. One of the most popular and most sophisticated mobile phone devices is the Personal Digital Assistant (commonly known as a “PDA”). These have their own operating systems, and can actually be utilized as mini computers. They not only make calls and store contact information, but also can connect to the internet, thereby giving their users the ability to send/receive email communications, images, photos, and videos. Advanced models have the capability to encrypt their communications, and can also store information on removable media like flash memory cards. From a forensic viewpoint, there is one major advantage to improved mobile phone technology, that being non volatile memory. Earlier generations of mobile phones were wholly dependent on their internal batteries to maintain stored information; therefore, a critical aspect to seizures was to recharge or replace the batteries as soon as possible, to ensure that the data wasn't lost prior to forensic examination. This is no longer required. Available Forensic Software Unfortunately, available software for mobile phone forensics is quite limited compared to the available software for “standard” computer forensics. As implied above, this is in large part due to the rapid and ongoing changes in mobile phone technologies. These limitations can cause various problems for computer forensic examiners. For example, a specific software program may work well with certain types of mobile phones, but it may only retrieve limited information from other types of mobile phones, and furthermore, this is regardless of whether the software was specifically developed for forensic use, or was instead developed by the manufacturer to retrieve data (in the latter case, the software usually is designed to recover just the contact information). It may be that no software program will work well on a specific phone. For these reasons, it is (still) often necessary to manually retrieve the information (that is, to hand search the phone using its keypad and menu) potentially a very tedious and labor intensive endeavor. Available Forensic Hardware Another major problem in mobile phone forensics is interfacing the phone with the examination computer. Most of the current forensic and commercial software programs cannot retrieve information from mobile phones without appropriate hardware connections. Such hardware includes various adapters, including both wireless (that is, infrared) and brand-specific plug-in systems. Commercially available hardware may contain multiple adapters, for use with all major mobile phone brands. These adapters can both connect the mobile phone device to the examination computer and recharge the battery on most mobile phones. Conclusions At present, there are significant limitations to the type and amount of information that can be retrieved using mobile phone forensics software. There is no comprehensive software program for mobile phone forensics - and due to the rapid technological advances in the field, this situation is likely to continue, at least in the near-term. The various software options that are currently available all have their pros and cons. Therefore, a laboratory has to maintain a vast forensic software library in order to comprehensively retrieve all the information from a mobile phone (that is, regardless of brand or model). This can cause severe budgetary distress. For this reason, it may be impossible for some small computer forensic operations to handle seized mobile phone devices (except by manual searching). In summary, as long as mobile phone technology continues to evolve and diversify, mobile phone forensics will remain a challenge to computer forensic examiners. Questions or comments? E mail: Walter.Aponte -at- usdoj.gov
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