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 - 70,000 PSILOCYBIN
MUSHROOM/CHOCOLATE The Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Laboratory Service in Amarillo (Amarillo, Texas) recently received a submission of approximately 70,000 chocolate candies (total net mass 154 kilograms), suspected psilocybin mushroom/chocolate concoctions. The exhibits were seized
by the Texas State Highway Patrol pursuant to a vehicle stop on I-40, just west of Amarillo (the vehicle was travelling from California to Tennessee). The candies were being stored in the vehicle’s trunk in trash bags, under what appeared to be a space blanket, and were furthermore being cooled by dry ice (see Photos 1 and 2). There were two, rather indistinct designs - a fish, and a cameo (see Photos 3 and 4). Microscopic examination of a crushed sample revealed a large amount of finely ground, mushroom-like material mixed into the chocolate. Analysis of this material by TLC, UV, and GC/MS confirmed psilocin (quantitation not performed). This was the laboratory’s first encounter with psilocybin mushroom/chocolate candies, and in fact was the first encounter with any adulterated form of psilocybin mushrooms. The laboratory’s largest previous submission of psilocybin mushrooms was just over seven kilograms. [Editor’s Notes: This appears to be the largest seizure of psilocybin mushroom/chocolate concoctions ever reported. The phenomenon of psilocybin mushroom/chocolate concoctions was discussed at length in the June, 2003 issue of Microgram Bulletin (with additional reports also being published in the May, August, and October 2003 issues of Microgram Bulletin). A specialized forensic analysis for these concoctions was published in Microgram Journal 2003;1(3-4):177.]
* * * * * - INTELLIGENCE ALERT - VIAGRA® MIMIC TABLET CONTAINING AMPHETAMINE IN FEJER COUNTY, HUNGARY
The Institute for Forensic Sciences National Drug Laboratory (Budapest, Hungary) recently received 9,000 white Ecstasy tablets with a “Euro” logo (see Photo 5), and also one pink, rhombus shaped tablet, net mass 0.30 gram, with a Pfizer imprint on one side and a VGR50 imprint on the other side (see Photos 6 and 7), an apparent Viagra® counterfeit. The exhibits were seized pursuant to a vehicle search by the County Police in Fejer County, Hungary (located approximately 70 kilometers west of Budapest). Except for the color, the tablet appeared to be a standard tablet of Viagra (genuine Viagra tablets are blue (see authentic tablet in Photos 6 and 7, below)). Analysis by GC/MS and HPLC, however, indicated not sildenafil citrate (Viagra) but rather 15 milligrams of amphetamine (isomer and salt form not reported). Analysis of the suspected Ecstasy tablets confirmed MDMA (no further details). Although the laboratory has previously encountered genuine Viagra tablets in seizures of Ecstasy, this was the first submission of a Viagra mimic tablet containing amphetamine.
[Editor’s Notes: Viagra is often sold in conjunction with MDMA in order to help users compensate for the reduced sexual performance that is a common side-effect resulting from abuse of MDMA. This appears to be the first ever report of a counterfeit Viagra tablet to Microgram Bulletin.]
LOLLIPOPS CONTAINING 9-
TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL The Illinois State Police Forensic Science Center at Chicago (Chicago, Illinois) recently received two submissions containing a total of 55 lollipops, suspected to contain a controlled substance, possibly MDMA, THC, or GHB. The lollipops were being sold on the West Side of Chicago, and were seized by the Chicago Police Department. Analysis was prioritized because the items were apparently being marketed to children. Each lollipop weighed approximately 10 grams, and were either green, red, or amber colored, and were in the shape of a maple leaf (see Photo 8)
or an indistinct face resembling Santa Claus (see Photo 9, above). No visible plant material was observed; however, a crushed portion tested positive for 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) with the Duquenois Levine test. Analysis by GC and GC/MS indicated a mixture of THC and phencyclidine (PCP) (quantitation not performed). This was the laboratory’s first submission of this type. * * * * *
LARGE ELECTRONIC
CAPACITORS CONTAINING
The DEA Northeast Laboratory (New York, New York) recently received a submission of nine large capacitors, each containing a tan powder, suspected heroin (see Photo 10). The capacitors were originally attached to a circuit board (nominal purpose unknown), that had been shipped as air freight from Venezuela to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that was seized by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Inspectors from the Philadelphia Office. Analysis of the powder (total net mass 493.7 grams) by GC/FID, GC/MS, and FTIR confirmed 80 percent heroin hydrochloride. This was the first submission of this type to the laboratory; however, two additional circuit boards with capacitors containing heroin have been received since this initial encounter.
* * * * * - INTELLIGENCE ALERT - ONCE
REMOVED® NAIL POLISH REMOVER (CONTAINING GBL)
The DEA South Central Laboratory (Dallas, Texas) recently received a submission of two bottles of “Once Removed” nail polish remover and treatment, each containing 30 milliliters of a clear, oily liquid, submitted as unknowns (see Photo 11). Although the packaging appears to be professional, the labelling does not list the ingredients, company name, or company contact information. The DEA New Orleans office seized the exhibits at a suspected gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) clandestine laboratory in Metairie, Louisiana. Analysis of the liquid by HPLC and GC/MS indicated gamma- butyrolactone (GBL) (not quantitated, but apparently pure or nearly pure). The laboratory was apparently a prescription drug diversion operation, re-selling various substances over the Internet. There were about a dozen empty bottles of “Once Removed” at the site; the operators were allegedly diluting one bottle into a one liter bottle of Fruit Punch flavored Powerade for resale. While GBL is not an uncommon submission to the laboratory, this is the first exhibit of “Once Removed” nail polish remover. [Editor’s Notes: “Once Removed” is a product of SMS Laboratories in Brooklyn, New York, and is very well known in the GHB abusing community as a source of high purity GBL. The above seizure is unusual because neither the company or product ingredients are listed on the packaging. It is unknown why this information was not included on the packaging in this case.] * * * * *
COCAINE IN PLANTATION, FLORIDA
The DEA Southeast Laboratory (Miami, Florida) recently received seven commercially labelled cardboard boxes containing 288 cans of Nestle's Supligen® (a dietary supplement drink), suspected to contain solutions of cocaine (see Photo 12). The exhibits were seized from a storage facility in Plantation by agents from the DEA Fort Lauderdale District Office (Plantation is located just west of Fort Lauderdale). Ninety two of the cans contained a thick, clear liquid (total net mass 38.66 kilograms (total net volume 31.69 liters)) that screened positively for cocaine. Analysis by GC, FTIR, and GC/MS confirmed a mixture of cocaine hydrochloride (753 mg/mL) and phenacetin (not quantitated). This was the first submission of liquid cocaine in cans of Supligen to the laboratory.
* * * * * - INTELLIGENCE ALERT - LOLLIPOPS CONTAINING HEROIN IN NEW YORK, NEW YORK The DEA Northeast Laboratory (New York, New York) recently received a submission of thirty one lollipops with loose wrappers, suspected to contain heroin (see Photo 13, below). The exhibits were seized at LaGuardia airport by the DEA New York Field Division (circumstances not provided). The wrappers indicated only the flavor of the candy (peach, watermelon, sour, etc.) The pops varied from 3/4's of an inch to one inch in diameter, and (unusually) consisted of a candy shell surrounding a powder interior (see Photo 14, below). Analysis of the powder (total net mass 520.1 grams) by GC/FID, GC/MS and FTIR confirmed 64 percent heroin hydrochloride. This is the first submission of lollipops containing heroin powder to the laboratory; however, the laboratory has previously received lollipops containing cocaine hydrochloride.
* * * * * - INTELLIGENCE ALERT - SENTRON® FIRE EXTINGUISHERS CONTAINING COCAINE IN NOGALES, ARIZONA The DEA Southwest Laboratory (Vista, California) recently received a submission of six small Sentron® fire extinguishers, each containing a packed white powder, suspected cocaine (see Photos 15 and 16, below). The exhibits were seized from three different cars in Nogales by Agents from the DEA Tucson Resident Office. The cannisters were labeled in Spanish, and the pressure gauges indicated that the extinguishers were at least partially full; however, none were actually under pressure. The nozzle portions on all six cannisters could be unscrewed; however, removal of the contents required a power saw to cut the cannister open. Analysis of the powder (total net mass approximately 12 kilograms) by GC, IR, and MS confirmed cocaine hydrochloride (average purity approximately 90 percent). This was the laboratory's first encounter with this particular smuggling technique.
* * * * * - INTELLIGENCE ALERT - OKLAHOMA FIRST STATE TO BAN OVER-THE-COUNTER SALES OF PSEUDOEPHEDRINE TABLETS [From the NDIC Narcotics
Digest Weekly 2004;3(17):3 On April 6, 2004, the governor of Oklahoma signed into law a bill prohibiting over the counter sales of tablets containing pseudoephedrine, a precursor chemical used in the production of methamphetamine. The law designates cold and allergy tablets containing pseudoephedrine as a Schedule V substance that can be sold only by licensed pharmacists or licensed pharmacy technicians. Consumers will be required to present valid photo identification and sign a logbook to purchase the drugs. The law also limits the amount a person can buy or possess to 9 grams (approximately 10 boxes of cold tablets). Any person convicted of violating the provisions of the law faces up to 1 year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine for a first offense (misdemeanor) and a $5,000 fine and a term of imprisonment of not more than 5 years for a second offense (felony). Consumers will still be able to purchase gel cap and liquid forms of the drugs over the counter. NDIC Comment: Other states, including Missouri and Iowa, have enacted legislation designed to restrict grocery and discount store sales of pseudoephedrine products by requiring that the drugs be placed behind the counter or within sight of clerks. However, Oklahoma is the first state to ban sales of cold and allergy tablets with pseudoephedrine in stores other than pharmacies and to control the sale and the amount of the sale of such products. * * * * * - INTELLIGENCE ALERT - LOLLIPOP-SHAPED FENTANYL PRODUCTS DIVERTED IN EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA [From the NDIC Narcotics
Digest Weekly 2004;3(20):1 Law enforcement officials with the Philadelphia Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Philadelphia Police Department, and Carbondale Police Department report increasing diversion and distribution of a prescription pain reliever known as ACTIQ (oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate). ACTIQ contains a form of fentanyl a synthetic opiate that possesses an analgesic potency approximately 80 times stronger than morphine. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ACTIQ in November 1998 for the management of cancer pain for patients with malignancies who had already received and had become tolerant to opioid therapy. ACTIQ, one of several fentanyl products available by prescription, is distributed as a medicated raspberry flavored lozenge attached to a short handle resembling a lollipop. As the medicated lozenge dissolves, the active ingredient (fentanyl citrate) is absorbed through the lining of the mouth. ACTIQ is intended only for those already on an opioid based pain management program. NDIC Comment: The diversion and abuse of ACTIQ likely will increase because of individuals seeking the effects of its active ingredient, fentanyl citrate. The lollipop like administration of the drug is likely to appeal to users who would be hesitant to take a fentanyl tablet, snort fentanyl powder, or inject the drug. Moreover, other fentanyl products, particularly a fentanyl transdermal patch known as Duragesic, already is frequently diverted and abused in many areas. In fact, National Drug Threat Survey 2003 data indicate that 10.2 percent of law enforcement agencies responding nationwide report that fentanyl is commonly diverted and illicitly used in their areas. Law enforcement agencies in the Northeast/Mid Atlantic (12.0%), Pacific (11.6%), and West Central (10.9%) regions report the highest percentages of fentanyl diversion and abuse. DEA officials in Philadelphia report that ACTIQ, referred to as perc-a-pop, is being sold in the city for $20 per dosage unit. [Editor’s Note: For
a photo of an ACTIQ lollipop, see: Microgram Bulletin 2004;37(3):49.] * * * * * - INTELLIGENCE ALERT - MDMA LABORATORY SEIZED IN MARION [SOUTH DAKOTA] [From the NDIC Narcotics
Digest Weekly 2004;3(20):3 On April 27, 2004, officials from the DEA Sioux Falls Resident Office and Sioux Falls Police Department Drug Task Force seized an operational MDMA laboratory from a Marion residence and arrested a 39 year old female and a 25 year old male on charges of attempting to manufacture MDMA and aiding and abetting the manufacture of MDMA. The arrests and seizure were the result of a 3 month investigation conducted to determine the identity of the intended recipients of chemicals being sent to a Sioux Falls post office box. The defendants allegedly purchased chemicals and glassware to manufacture MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, also known as ecstasy) through a fictitious company via the Internet and by telephone from companies in California, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and the Netherlands. The chemicals, including ether and sassafras oil, and glassware were delivered to the post office box in Sioux Falls. Prior to their arrests, the defendants allegedly produced three batches of MDMA, each weighing approximately 4 grams. According to law enforcement officials, the powdered MDMA was placed in capsules and distributed to individuals at rave parties in Midwest cities such as Chicago and Kansas City for $20 $25 per capsule. Law enforcement officials also seized 4 grams of MDMA, psilocybin mushrooms, marijuana, and $2,500 from the Marion residence. The DEA, Sioux Falls Police Department Drug Task Force, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Turner County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPS), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Mitchell Police Department, and Yankton Police Department participated in the investigation. NDIC Comment: Law enforcement officials in South Dakota report that this is the first MDMA laboratory seizure in the state. Very few MDMA laboratories are seized each year in the United States. According to DEA El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC) National Clandestine Laboratory Seizure System data, law enforcement agencies report 3 domestic MDMA laboratory seizures in 2003 compared with 10 seizures in 2002. In 2003 law enforcement officials seized 1 MDMA laboratory each in Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. * * * * * - INTELLIGENCE BRIEF - DIPROPYLTRYPTAMINE AND 2C-I IN PORTLAND, OREGON The Oregon State Police Crime Lab (Portland, Oregon) recently received two unusual drug submissions from the Portland Police Bureau. The first was a vial of tan powder (total net mass 3.9 grams), commercially (but crudely) labelled as “N,N-Dipropyltryptamine” (photo not available). The label also included the CAS number, warning information, and numbers presumably related to inventory or production batch. The vial was turned over to the Portland Police Bureau by the security personnel for an express mail service. Analysis of the powder by color testing (Webers and PDMAB), GC/MS, FTIR, and UV gave results consistent with dipropyltryptamine (DPT) (not quantitated, but only one peak by GC). However, the results were also consistent with N,N-diisopropyltryptamine (DIPT), and since the laboratory did not have reference standards for either compound, the identification was tentative. The second submission was a pharmacy-style bottle containing four gel caps, each containing a small amount of fluffy white crystalline substance (total net mass of powder less than 10 milligrams), identity unknown but suspected to be an illicit drug (photo not available). The exhibit was part of a polydrug seizure from an individual in Portland who was arrested for failure to appear for previously filed, unrelated drug charges. Analysis by color testing (Marquis), GC/MS, FTIR, and UV indicated 4-iodo-2,5- dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-I). These were the first submissions of DPT (DIPT) or 2C-I to the laboratory. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SELECTED REFERENCES [Notes: Selected references are a compilation of recent publications of presumed interest to forensic chemists. Unless otherwise stated, all listed citations are published in English. If available, the email address for the primary author is provided as the contact information. Listed mailing address information (which is sometimes cryptic or incomplete) exactly duplicates that provided by the abstracting services. In addition, in order to prevent automated theft of email addresses off the Internet postings of Microgram Bulletin, unless otherwise requested by the corresponding author, all email addresses reported in the Bulletin have had the “@” character replaced by “ -at- ”; this will need to be converted back (by hand) before the address can be used.]
Additional References of Possible Interest:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * NEW EMAIL ADDRESSES NEEDED The email addresses for the following organizations have returned rejection notices to the Microgram Editor for the past three issues of Microgram Bulletin, and will therefore be dropped from the subscription list unless a corrected email address is provided by the end of July 2004. Note that the errors include anti-spamming comments, mailbox full messages, and user not found or user unknown messages. The 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 provide a valid email address to the Editor at: microgram_editor -at- mailsnare.net Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Drug Analysis Laboratory, Beaufort, South Carolina Delaware Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Wilmington, Delaware Mississippi Crime Laboratory / Gulf Coast Branch, Biloxi, Mississippi Tripura State Forensic Science Laboratory, West Tripura, India USAF / AFOSI DET 303, Travis AFB, California ---------- The following organizations (listed in the May issue) were dropped on 6/30/04: Corte Suprema de Justicia de la Nacion Argentina, Argentina CP1026 Probe Scientific, El Cerrito, California
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * THE DEA
FY - 2004 STATE AND LOCAL The remaining FY - 2004 schedule for the DEA’s State and Local Forensic Chemists Seminar 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 appended onto the October 2003 issue of Microgram Bulletin, and should be mailed to the Special Testing and Research Laboratory (Attention: Pam Smith or Jennifer Kerlavage) at: 22624 Dulles Summit Court, Dulles, VA 20166. For additional information, call 703 668-3337.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS 1.
Title: 14th Annual CLIC Training Seminar (Second Posting) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Virtual processing is the simulation of a computer operating system or application program within a real world computer under the control of the host computer’s operating system. Virtual processing enables multiple applications to operate in an isolated operating system environment. It also compartmentalizes processes, and can therefore minimize program failures that can stop an entire computer system. To date, virtual processing has been primarily used in main frame computers, but not with personal computers, due to limitations with PC hardware and operating system architectures. Virtual processing requires extensive computing resources, including fast processor speeds, robust operating system architectures (that support multiple concurrent processing), and fast computer memory management. However, recent advances in these technologies have increased its potential for use in PC’s, including for digital evidence examination purposes. In the latter case, potential benefits include reduced examination times and fewer examination computers. The principal benefit of virtual processing is eliminating the need to run concurrent computer systems in order to view certain types of data. Most digital evidence forensics are conducted using a “forensic platform” such as Access Data’s Forensic Tool Kit (FTK), Guidance Software’s Encase, or the U.S. Government’s Ilook licensed software. These platforms use standard data recovery techniques such as erased file recovery or keyword searching, and are highly effective with routine programs and files. However, there is often a need to run specialized programs in order to view proprietary types of binary data, especially where the data is not stored in a standard ASCII format (that is, that common file browsers can interpret and display). Applications such as financial accounting data and pharmacy transactional data frequently utilize proprietary data storage formats that cannot be viewed using any of the standard digital evidence forensic examination platforms. In other instances, the ability to view the desktop display of a computer helps the examiner identify the application programs that are important to the computer user. For example, short cuts to ISP’s (AOL, MSN, Hotmail, or Yahoo), or frequently used applications such as Quicken, or critical data files such as an Excel spreadsheet. Recovery of these data types requires that a bootable work copy of the hard drive be created in order to run the user’s operating system and/or application software. Virtual processing offers the potential to eliminate the extra steps involved in creating and mounting such bootable work copies. It can take a day or more to create and successfully mount such copies in a different computer hardware environment ? a very significant amount of time for any examiner. Application of virtual processing to the examination of digital evidence is therefore an important evolutionary advance. To date, there have been five such advances, as follows: Generation One Generation Two Generation Three Generation Four A second, well known emulation program is the original Microsoft Windows program named “Windows for Work Groups”. As installed on the old Intel 286 computers, this program gave the appearance and feel of Windows, but it was actually a DOS program. It wasn’t until Windows 95 was introduced by Microsoft that a true Windows operating system was available to Microsoft software users. Emulation technology has little substantive benefit in digital evidence examinations. However, it is an important concept in understanding the evolution of computer processing from single dedicated machines to virtual processing. Generation Five Continued technology advances (such as virtual image processing) are an efficient means to examine data both statically and dynamically, without having to produce two evidentiary work copies. Thus, the technique reduces the need for an additional examiner computer or the concurrent additional examiner time needed to make the second copy. This saves both resources and time, two precious commodities in most digital evidence laboratories. Questions or comments? e-mail: mphelan -at- erols.com |
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