DEA and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency
Law enforcement, seizure, and treatment data indicate that
PCP (phencyclidine) availability and abuse are increasing in some areas of
the country, particularly in metropolitan areas. Primarily produced by
street gangs and criminal groups operating in California, the drug is
distributed and abused throughout the country. Law enforcement agencies
report that PCP is rising in popularity among adolescents and young
adults. Though considered a minor threat in comparison with other illicit
drugs, the rising availability and abuse of PCP pose a growing threat to
the United States.
PCP was first synthesized in 1926 and was patented and marketed as a
Schedule III surgical analgesic and anesthetic in 1963. Adverse side
effects associated with the drug--including delusion, agitation, and
confusion--caused it to be withdrawn from the market in 1965. PCP was then
marketed as a veterinary anesthetic and tranquilizer in 1967. In 1978 PCP
was transferred from Schedule III to Schedule II of the Controlled
Substances Act of 1970 due to reported increases in abuse.
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PCP abuse appears to be increasing, particularly in metropolitan areas.
According to the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), the estimated number
of emergency department (ED) mentions for PCP rose steadily each year from
3,663 mentions in 1999 to 7,648 mentions in 2002. Among DAWN reporting
cities, ED mentions for PCP were highest in Washington, D.C., (1,302),
Philadelphia (1,144), and Los Angeles (991). In the same year, the
Community Epidemiology Work Group (CEWG) reported that indicators
increased in five areas--Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Texas, and
Washington, D.C. According to the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS), the
number of PCP-related treatment admissions to publicly funded facilities
nationwide increased from 2,210 admissions in 1999 to 3,866 admissions in
2002.
The effects of PCP vary, depending on the dose. Low to moderate doses
of 1 to 5 milligrams cause feelings of detachment, slurred speech, loss of
coordination, and rapid eye movement. Higher doses (10 mg or more) produce
illusions and auditory hallucinations. PCP users may also have feelings of
strength, anxiety, aggression, and hostility and may experience delusions,
paranoia, and catatonia.
PCP is available in powder, crystal, tablet, capsule, and liquid forms
and is either injected, snorted, swallowed, or smoked by applying liquid
PCP to leafy materials such as tobacco, marijuana, parsley, mint, and
oregano. Powdered or crystal PCP also is smoked when mixed with marijuana
or tobacco. Street names for the drug include angel dust, buck-naked,
dippers, embalming fluid, killer weed, love boat, super grass, and rocket
fuel.
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PCP-Laced Cigarettes,
Cigars, and Marijuana
Smoking tobacco products or marijuana dipped in liquid PCP
remains popular among some young adults, according to state and
local law enforcement reporting. In 2003 PCP-laced cigarettes,
cigars, and marijuana joints were noted in Arkansas, California,
Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and
Virginia. The cost reportedly ranges from $5 to $30 each. |
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Although law enforcement reporting indicates that PCP availability is
increasing in metropolitan areas, National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC)
National Drug Threat Survey (NDTS) 2004 data reveal that 60.8 percent of
agencies report that PCP availability is low and that approximately
one-quarter of the respondents (25.2%) indicate that PCP is not available
in their areas. Law enforcement reporting indicates that PCP is
increasingly available or resurgent in metropolitan areas such as
Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, New York, Philadelphia, and
Washington, D.C.
According to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) System to Retrieve
Information From Drug Evidence (STRIDE) data, nationwide seizure amounts
increased significantly between 2000 and 2002 before decreasing in 2003.
Table 1. STRIDE PCP
Seizures, 2000-2003
| Year |
Dosage
Units |
| 2000 |
184,938 |
| 2001 |
1,037,574 |
| 2002 |
6,030,545 |
| 2003 |
3,592,827 |
Source: Drug Enforcement
Administration.
Wholesale and retail prices of PCP are relatively low in comparison
with other illicit drugs. Gallon quantities of liquid PCP sell at the
wholesale level for $6,500 to $8,000 in Los Angeles and $12,000 to $20,000
in New York City. At the retail level, PCP-laced cigarettes and joints
reportedly sell for $5 to $30 each. The tablet form of PCP sells for $20
to $30 per tablet; PCP in powder form sells for $20 to $30 per gram; and
liquid PCP sells for $125 to $600 per ounce.
Table 2. Estimated PCP Prices, Nationwide, 2003
|
Wholesale |
| Liquid |
$6,500-$28,000/gallon |
|
Retail |
| PCP-laced cigarette/joint |
$5-$30 |
| Powder |
$20-$30/g |
| Tablet |
$20-$30/tablet |
| Liquid |
$125-$600/oz |
Source: Drug Enforcement Administration.
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PCP Tablets
Photo courtesy of Metropolitan
Bureau of Investigation, Orlando FL
Tablets composed partially or entirely of PCP--as revealed by
laboratory analysis--but sometimes sold as MDMA
(3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) are being distributed in the
United States. Law enforcement reporting indicates that over the
past 3 years, tablets containing PCP have been seized in Florida,
Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Ohio, Virginia, and
Washington, D.C. |
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Production,
Transportation, and Distribution
The chemicals required to illicitly produce PCP are readily available
and inexpensive, and the production process does not require much
knowledge of chemistry or laboratory equipment. Liquid PCP commonly is
produced using a technique called the bucket method, in which chemicals
are mixed in a bucket or trash can. Although it is a relatively simple
method, the chemicals used to produce the drug are toxic and highly
flammable. Piperidine, a PCP precursor, commonly is found at laboratory
sites. Other chemicals may include bromobenzene, ether, hydrochloric acid,
and potassium cyanide. Most PCP contains contaminants from its makeshift
manufacture, resulting in a color ranging from tan to brown.
Laboratory seizure data and law enforcement reporting indicate that PCP
production is limited and controlled predominantly by members of African
American gangs, primarily Bloods and Crips, and criminal groups operating
in California. DEA El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC) National Clandestine
Laboratory Seizure System (NCLSS) data indicate that of the 22 clandestine
laboratories seized in the United States from 2000 through 2003, 18 were
located in California. Mexican drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and
independent operators also produce PCP in the United States, although to a
lesser extent.
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Street Gangs Traffic PCP
Street gangs, primarily Bloods and Crips, are involved in the
production, transportation, and distribution of PCP in the United
States. These gangs, composed primarily of African American males,
operate principally in the Los Angeles metropolitan area but are
also present in several areas of the country, including the West
Central, Pacific, and Southeast regions. Bloods and Crips distribute
PCP and other illicit drugs and are involved in many other types of
criminal activity, including assault, homicide, extortion, and
robbery.
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Produced primarily for domestic distribution, PCP is transported by
package delivery services and in private vehicles, buses, and commercial
aircraft to distribution centers including Baltimore, Chicago, Houston,
Los Angeles, New York City, New Orleans, and Washington, D.C. Law
enforcement reporting indicates that PCP produced in southern California
is transported in private vehicles or by couriers aboard passenger trains
to states such as Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio,
Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania for retail distribution. In many instances,
couriers attempt to conceal the amber-colored PCP in plastic shampoo,
sports drink, gasoline, or mouthwash containers and glass whiskey,
vinegar, or cleaning solution bottles. PCP is supplied to gang members and
independent dealers for retail distribution from private residences and
public housing projects. Retail-level distributors typically sell PCP at
open-air markets in inner cities, on college campuses, and at raves.
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Liquid PCP
Transport Methods
 Liquid
PCP is transported from producers to distributors in a variety of
glass and plastic containers. Typically producers sell liquid PCP to
wholesale distributors in containers ranging in size from gallon
jugs to soda bottles. Wholesale distributors usually transfer the
drug to smaller containers, such as vanilla extract bottles and
glass vials, for distribution at the retail level. |
California: On September 4, 2003, DEA announced the indictment
of 28 individuals in the Central District of California on charges related
to the illicit production and distribution of PCP. According to the
indictments, between April 2001 and March 2003 the defendants, who were
members of a Los Angeles-based criminal group, produced PCP in clandestine
laboratories located in the Los Angeles area. During the investigation,
investigators seized two operational PCP laboratories capable of producing
50 to 200 gallons of PCP, one nonoperational PCP laboratory, 10 gallons of
PCP, chemicals used in manufacturing PCP (ether, pyridine, and piperidine),
$120,000, and six firearms. The criminal group sold PCP to distributors in
areas of the United States including California and Houston.
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Connecticut: A joint investigation conducted by the Connecticut
State Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Hartford Police
Department, and Willimantic Police Department resulted in the November 20,
2002, arrests of 11 individuals for transporting gallon quantities of PCP
from New York City to Hartford. Several arrestees were members of an
African American criminal group operating from public housing complexes in
Hartford's North End. These arrestees traveled in private vehicles to the
Harlem section of New York City two to three times per month to purchase 1
to 2 gallons of PCP for $300 per liquid ounce from two Belizean nationals.
The arrestees transported the PCP to Hartford in 32-ounce plastic or glass
bottles and resold the drug for $600 per liquid ounce in the Hartford
area. The arrestees also soaked marijuana and mint leaves in liquid PCP
and distributed the combination for $10 to $20 per gram. Following the
arrests, searches by law enforcement officers yielded 1 gallon of liquid
PCP, 30 grams of PCP-soaked mint leaves, $16,000 in cash, and 2 handguns.
In addition, 1 kilogram of heroin was seized from the Belizean nationals
who had recently begun to distribute that drug in New York City.
Florida: Officials from the Orlando Metropolitan Bureau of
Investigation (MBI) and DEA report that tablets sold as MDMA
(3,4-methylene-dioxymethamphetamine, also known as ecstasy) in the Orlando
area were in fact PCP. On September 9, 2003, agents purchased 500 tablets
from two men in Pine Hills, a west Orlando neighborhood, who told the
agents that they were ecstasy tablets. The agents arrested the men. A
search of their vehicle resulted in the seizure of 150 additional tablets,
5 ounces of powdered cocaine, and a loaded handgun. The agents submitted
the tablets to a crime laboratory for analysis. The laboratory reported
that the 500 blue tablets--marked with a single score on one side and an
elevated cross on the other side--contained PCP as their only active
ingredient. The laboratory also reported that another 100 green tablets
with similar markings also were PCP tablets. The remaining 50
tablets--yellow and marked with a yin-yang symbol--reportedly contained
MDA (3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine) and methamphetamine. Both suspects
were charged with trafficking PCP and MDA, possession of a firearm by a
convicted felon, and possession of cocaine with intent to deliver. One of
the suspects was a member of the Latin Kings gang. The other suspect had
no known gang affiliation and is believed to be from Virginia.
Florida: On June 5, 2003, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle
District of Florida announced the arrest and indictment of three
individuals for conspiracy to possess a listed chemical used to
manufacture PCP and for possession of listed chemicals. DEA agents
arranged a "buy-bust" operation, and the defendants were arrested on June
2, 2003, at a parking lot in Tampa after they had purchased 3 gallons of
piperidine for $3,900 from case agents. Information collected after the
defendants' arrest led DEA agents to search a residence rented by one of
the defendants. In the residence, agents discovered a laboratory used to
produce PCP, 24 gallons of cyclohexanone, 60 pounds of sodium cyanide, 100
pounds of sodium metabisulfate, and 24 gallons of bromobenzene--chemicals
used in the production of PCP. Agents also seized 120 grams of powdered
PCP prepackaged for retail distribution. According to DEA, this is
believed to be the largest PCP laboratory ever seized in the state.
Illinois: The Illinois State Police Forensic Science Center in
Chicago received two submissions containing a total of 55 lollipops that
were suspected of containing 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 in January 2004. Analysis was
prioritized because the items were apparently being marketed to children.
Each lollipop weighed approximately 10 grams, was green, red, or amber in
color, and was in the shape of a maple leaf or a face resembling Santa
Claus. No visible plant material was observed; however, a crushed portion
tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Further analysis indicated
a mixture of THC and PCP. This was the laboratory's first submission of
this type.
Maryland: The DEA Mid-Atlantic Laboratory in Largo received 198
blue tablets suspected to be MDMA with a cross logo on one side and a
single score mark on the other. The tablets were recovered in January 2004
from a laboratory that produced methamphetamine using the iodine-red
phosphorus method in Waldorf. (Waldorf is about 20 miles south-southwest
of Washington, D.C.) The tablets were round, biconvex, approximately 10
millimeters in diameter, and weighed 256 milligrams each. Analysis
indicated not MDMA but rather PCP (0.38 milligrams/tablet). This was the
first submission to the laboratory of suspected MDMA tablets containing
only PCP. There was no indication that PCP was being produced at the
clandestine laboratory.
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Maryland: On November 20, 2002, the Baltimore City Police
Department seized a PCP laboratory operating in a residential neighborhood
of the city. Baltimore City officers, along with agents from DEA, the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the
Maryland Department of the Environment, confiscated 30 gallons of liquid
PCP and 180 gallons of precursor chemicals from the basement of a private
residence. Sections of the city were cordoned off because of the explosive
nature of the chemicals.
Missouri: On October 30, 2002, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol
officer seized thirty-two 16-ounce bottles of PCP (approximately 61,000
doses) from a vehicle that had been traveling north on Interstate 35 near
Blackwell. The officer stopped the vehicle for speeding and obtained the
driver's consent to search the vehicle. During the search a drug-detection
canine alerted to drugs in the dashboard area. After the canine alert, the
driver told the officer that her boyfriend had smoked marijuana in the
car. The trooper continued to search the vehicle and discovered bottles of
PCP concealed in a hidden compartment that extended the entire length of
the dash. In a subsequent interview the driver stated that she was driving
from California to St. Louis, Missouri.
Missouri: On July 1, 2002, the Kansas City Police Department
Gang Squad seized three-quarters of a gallon of PCP and arrested two males
who had attempted to sell the PCP to an undercover officer for $16,000.
During undercover negotiations with the suspects, squad officers requested
to purchase only 1 ounce of PCP. The suspects misunderstood the request
and arrived with three-quarters of a gallon. The suspects--local residents
of the Kansas City area--had obtained the PCP from sources in Los Angeles,
California. In November 2001 officers had seized 11 gallons of PCP from an
associate of the two men.
Ohio: The Grand Junction Police Department Laboratory in
Colorado received two 1-gallon jugs marked Gatorade that contained an
orange liquid suspected to be PCP. 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 in January 2003. The two suspects involved
were traveling from Compton, California, to Cincinnati, Ohio. Passive
evaporation of the liquids reduced their volume by about two-thirds.
Analysis of the final solution confirmed fairly clean phencyclidine base.
The easily evaporated solvent was petroleum ether. The laboratory had
received phencyclidine base samples seized at the bus station on two
occasions, but not in these quantities.
Oklahoma: On February 27, 2004, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol
interdiction unit seized 1 gallon of liquid PCP during a routine traffic
stop on I-40 in Custer County. According to officials, the troopers
stopped a pickup truck for speeding. During identification checks of the
occupants, the troopers noticed that both the driver and the passenger
appeared to be extremely nervous and provided conflicting information
about the nature of their travel. During the course of a drug-detection
canine search, the passenger threw a partially smoked cigarette out of the
passenger window. The drug-detection canine alerted to the
cigarette--which field-tested positive for marijuana. A subsequent search
of the vehicle revealed 1 gallon of suspected PCP hidden in a compartment
located behind the firewall. The driver, a 38-year-old male from Phoenix,
and the passenger, a 25-year-old female from Tolleson (AZ), were arrested
and charged with trafficking and possession of a controlled substance. The
PCP was believed to be destined for Oklahoma City or Tulsa.
Oklahoma: On September 24, 2002, New Mexico State Police
officers seized 2 gallons of liquid PCP from a rental vehicle traveling
east on I-40, a major west-east interstate from Barstow, California, to
Wilmington, North Carolina. They arrested the driver, a 20-year-old
resident of California. Officers had stopped the vehicle for speeding and
discovered the PCP during a consensual search. The PCP was found in a
cooler in the trunk of the vehicle, concealed in four grape juice
containers. New Mexico officials report that this is one of the largest
PCP seizures in the state's history. Reports indicate that the drug was
intended for distribution in Oklahoma.
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Pennsylvania: On June 11, 2004, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol
Interdiction Team seized 7 gallons of PCP and 10 kilograms of cocaine from
a rented 2004 Mercury sport-utility vehicle (SUV) during a traffic stop on
the Turner Turnpike (I-44). The driver stated that the load had originated
in Compton, California, and was destined for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
After a drug-detection canine alerted to the vehicle, it was examined and
7 gallons of PCP and 10 kilograms of cocaine were found in the rear of the
vehicle. The PCP was concealed in an ice chest in three 2-gallon plastic
gas containers and three plastic bottles weighing approximately 20 ounces
each. The liquid in all the containers field-tested positive for PCP. The
cocaine was wrapped in brown tape bundles weighing approximately 1
kilogram each. Two of the bundles were found wrapped in a pair of pants
and the other eight were found in two shoeboxes. The bundles field-tested
positive for cocaine. Both the driver and passenger were arrested.
Texas: On August 26, 2003, 10 individuals were indicted in the
Southern District of Texas after investigators from the DEA Houston
Division, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Texas Department
of Public Safety, and Harris County Sheriff's Department established that
the individuals were distributing PCP produced by a southern California
criminal group.
Washington, D.C.: On March 15, 2004, the U.S. Attorney for the
District of Columbia, FBI, DEA, and District of Columbia Metropolitan
Police Department (MPDC) announced the indictment of 26 individuals on
numerous federal charges including conspiracy to distribute controlled
substances, primarily PCP. According to the indictment, since March 2002
two New York men had directed the conspiracy by arranging for PCP to be
shipped via mail services, private vehicles, and commercial airlines from
California to Washington, D.C. Upon obtaining the PCP, defendants located
in Washington, D.C., distributed the drug in the Northeast section of the
city around 18th and M Streets. The defendants sold liquid PCP, as well as
crack cocaine and MDMA, to individuals from the city as well as to
Maryland and Virginia residents who traveled into the city to purchase the
drugs. Prior to the announcement of the indictments, law enforcement
officers executed search warrants in at least 25 locations in Washington,
D.C., Maryland, Virginia, New York, and Georgia. The searches resulted in
the seizure of 1 gallon of PCP, 17 firearms, and approximately $100,000 in
cash. Twenty of the defendants have been arrested; six remain fugitives.
The indictments were the result of a long-term investigation conducted by
a joint FBI/MPDC task force targeting gang activity in the District of
Columbia.
Washington, D.C.: On March 12, 2003, Junction City Police
Department officers seized approximately 1 gallon of liquid PCP from a van
traveling east on I-70 through Kansas. The officer stopped the van for a
moving violation but became suspicious when the female operator provided
conflicting information regarding her travel route. The officer requested
consent to search the van but was refused by the operator. The officer
then called a Kansas Highway Patrol drug-detection canine unit to the
scene. A drug-detection canine alerted to the door panel on the driver's
side of the vehicle, where officers subsequently discovered suspected
marijuana residue. The officers then conducted a search of the inside of
the van and a cooler containing ice, bottles of water, and two plastic
apple juice bottles. The officers noticed that the seals of the apple
juice bottles were broken and that their contents had a strong odor. DEA
agents responded to the scene, conducted a field analysis of the liquid,
and confirmed that the liquid inside the apple juice bottles was PCP. The
operator and her three companions were arrested on federal charges of
possessing a controlled substance with the intent to distribute. Three of
the defendants are from the Washington, D.C., area and one is from Rhode
Island. Law enforcement authorities believe that the individuals obtained
the PCP in Los Angeles and were returning to Washington, D.C.
To Top To Contents
The availability of PCP will continue to increase due to relatively
simple production techniques and increasing demand. Abuse will remain most
prevalent in large metropolitan areas, although an increase in abuse in
suburbs and smaller communities that have increasing street gang activity
is probable. PCP will remain predominantly a street drug, and there is no
indication that its use is likely to become widespread at nightclubs or
raves. Easy accessibility and relatively low costs associated with the
production and sale of PCP will continue to attract new
users--particularly among adolescents and young adults--and will continue
to be a problem in the United States. PCP will continue to be produced
primarily in metropolitan areas by African American gangs and criminal
groups. PCP will remain a growing concern to law enforcement agencies in
the United States due to the recent surge in abuse and availability and
the growing popularity of the drug.
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To Contents
State
Arizona
Chandler Police Department
Arkansas
Arkansas State Police
Hot Springs Police Department
Pulaski County Sheriff's Office
California
Belmont Police Department
Hayward Police Department
Los Angeles Police Department
Orange County Sheriff's Department
Pomona Police Department
San Bernardino Police Department
San Mateo Country Narcotics Task Force
Colorado
Denver Police Department
Grand Junction Police Department
Grand Valley Joint Drug Task Force
Connecticut
Connecticut State Police
Hartford Police Department
Willimantic Police Department
District of Columbia
Metropolitan Police Department
Florida
Florida Department of Law Enforcement
Orlando Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation
Georgia
Muscogee County Sheriff's Office
Illinois
Chicago Police Department
Illinois State Police Forensic Science Center at Chicago
Kansas
Junction City Police Department
Kansas Highway Patrol
Louisiana
Lake Charles Police Department
Saint Landry Parish Sheriff's Office
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Maryland
Baltimore City Police Department
Calvert County Substance Abuse Program
Charles County Substance Abuse Services
Howard County Police Department
Rockdale Police Department
St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office
Missouri
Columbia Police Department
Kansas City Police Department
Missouri State Highway Patrol
St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department
Nebraska
Nebraska State Patrol
New Jersey
Hudson County Narcotics Task Force
Manchester Township Police Department
New Brunswick Police Department
Salem County Prosecutor's Office
New Mexico
New Mexico State Police
New York
Fulton Police Department
New York City Police Department
New York State Police
Division of State Police
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Highway Patrol
Texas
Garland County Sheriff's Office
Harris County Sheriff's Department
Rockdale Police Department
Texas Department of Public Safety
Waco Police Department
Virginia
Fairfax County Police Department
Manassas City Police Department
Virginia Baptist Hospital
Pathways Treatment Center
To Top To Contents
Federal
Executive Office of the President
Office of National Drug Control Policy
High Intensity Drug
Trafficking Areas
Chicago
Houston
Philadelphia/Camden
Rocky Mountain
Washington, D.C., HIDTA Group
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
National Institutes of Health
National Institute on
Drug Abuse
Community Epidemiology Work Group
Monitoring the Future
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration
Office of Applied Studies
Drug Abuse Warning Network
National Survey on Drug Use and Health
Treatment Episode Data Set
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Department of Justice
Drug Enforcement Administration
Chicago Division
Dallas Division
El Paso Intelligence
Center
National Clandestine Laboratory Seizure System
Houston Division
Mid-Atlantic Laboratory
Philadelphia Division
System to Retrieve
Information From Drug Evidence
Washington, D.C.,
Division
Federal Bureau of Investigation
U.S. Attorney's Office
District of Columbia
Middle District of
Florida
Southern District of
Texas
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