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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 - "SPLIF" PEANUT BUTTER (CONTAINING TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL) NEAR LAREDO, TEXAS
The
DEA South Central Laboratory (Dallas, Texas) recently received a
jar of apparent peanut butter, suspected
to contain
* * * * * - INTELLIGENCE ALERT - "SWEETART" CANDIES
ADULTERATED WITH The DEA North Central Laboratory (Chicago, Illinois) recently received 18 stained "SweeTart"® candies, suspected to contain lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) (see Photo 4). The exhibits were seized pursuant to a traffic stop in Lincoln, Nebraska by the Nebraska State Patrol (18 of 36 candies submitted for analysis). Each candy was visibly stained on both the top and bottom surfaces. A cross section one of the candies demonstrated staining though the middle of the tablet, however, it was not possible to determine if the applied solution had soaked through the candy, or if the solution had been applied to both faces. The stained areas were more easily viewed with an ultraviolet light source (e.g., see Photo 5). Some of the candies fluoresced more intensely than others, suggesting that the drug strength varied significantly from tablet to tablet (ultraviolet light at 495 nanometers and an orange #56 filter exhibited the most contrast for photography). Analysis of the tablets (total net mass of 18 candies 30.3 grams) by GC/MS and UV/Vis identified not LSD but rather 5-methoxy-alpha-methyltryptamine (5-MeO-AMT) (not quantitated). This was the first seizure of this type submitted to the laboratory.
"BLACK CRACK" IN ROANOKE, VIRGINIA
The DEA Mid-Atlantic Laboratory (Largo, Maryland) recently received a submission of a brown/black rock-like material with a faint tar-like odor, suspected “crack” cocaine. The outer surface was speckled brown in color, while the inner portion of the material was black in color (see Photo 6 to the right). The exhibit was seized pursuant to a vehicle search in Roanoke, Virginia by the Roanoke City Police. Analysis of the exhibit (total net mass 0.32 grams) by GC/FID, GC/MS, and FT-IR confirmed 86 percent cocaine base. No adulterants or diluents were detected, and the coloring agent was not identified. This was the first submission of “Black Crack” received by the laboratory. * * * * *
TRANSMISSION GEAR CONTAINING HEROIN FROM ECUADOR UNKNOWN MACHINERY PART CONTAINING HEROIN FROM MEXICO
The DEA Northeast Laboratory (New York, New York) recently received a sealed "transmission gear" (see Photo 7 to the left) containing a whitish powder. The exhibit (gross weight 17.7 kilograms, size 16 x 6 inches) originated from Ecuador and was seized by Customs inspectors at the Miami, Florida Express Mail Facility. Preliminary X-ray inspection (by the inspectors) indicated a dense area inside the gear. A drilled hole revealed a powder that field-tested positive for heroin. Analysis of the powder (total net mass 1.05 kilograms) by GC/FID, GC/MS, and FTIR confirmed 93 percent heroin hydrochloride.
- - - - - - - - - -
The Laboratory also received a second exhibit from the Miami, Florida Express Mail Facility that consisted of a sealed metal cylinder (see Photo 8 to the right) containing a powder. Despite the presence of a detailed identification plate (see Photo 8 to the right), the identity and function of the item could not be determined. An extensive examination by Customs inspectors resulted in recovery of a small amount of powder that field-tested positive for heroin. At the laboratory, metal cutting tools were required to access the interior. Analysis of the recovered powder (total net mass 1.05 kilograms) by GC/FID, GC/MS, and FTIR confirmed 72 percent heroin hydrochloride. The DEA Northeast Laboratory routinely receives heroin smuggled from throughout Central and South America in various types of containers (for another example of a large metal “gear”, see the December 2003 issue of Microgram Bulletin); however, these types of submissions are occurring with increased frequency.
* * * * * - INTELLIGENCE ALERT - ACRYLIC
KEY CHAIN FOB CONTAINING APPARENT COCAINE AND AN APPARENT
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Fort Myers Regional Laboratory (Fort Myers, Florida), recently received an acrylic key chain fob which included a leaf and a capsule of off-white powder, suspected to be a coca leaf and cocaine (see Photo 9 to the left). The item was seized by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office pursuant to a domestic disturbance (Collier County is south of Fort Myers, and includes the city of Naples). The fob measured 35 x 35 millimeters, weighed 20.2 grams, and had a thick, clear acrylic layer sealed onto a white acrylic base; it was marked “COCA” and “NO CONSUMA DROGA” (roughly: “Don’t Take Drugs”). Access to the powder was gained by drilling a hole above the capsule. Analysis of the powder (about ½ gram recovered) by color testing, GC, and GC/MS, however, indicated no controlled substances. The leaf (which appeared to be a genuine coca leaf) was not analyzed. This was the first such exhibit received by the laboratory. * * * * *
AREAS IN NORTH-CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS [From the NDIC Narcotics
Digest Weekly 2004;3(16):1 On April 5, 2004, investigators with the North Worcester County Drug Task Force reported that Dominican criminal groups in north central Massachusetts increasingly are burying heroin and cocaine or concealing the drugs in false rocks in remote wooded areas for the purpose of short-term storage. The drugs usually are packaged in glassine bags and wrapped in plastic before being buried or hidden in false rocks. Investigators report that Dominican retail-level heroin and cocaine distributors - typically from Fitchburg, Gardner, and Leominster - often receive purchase requests via cellular phones and then drive to the wooded area to retrieve enough heroin or cocaine to complete the sale. The distributors then travel to a prearranged location, such as a public parking lot, to meet the buyer. The distributors typically retrieve between a half-bundle (5 glassine bags each containing approximately 50 to 100 milligrams of powder) to 1 bundle (10 glassine bags) of heroin or gram quantities of cocaine. NDIC Comment: This concealment technique (first reported in 2002) has become common in north central Massachusetts. Previously, Dominican heroin and cocaine distributors in the area concealed stashes of heroin and cocaine inside residences. Investigators discovered this concealment method after noticing a decrease in the amount of drugs that distributors were storing at their residences.
* * * * * - INTELLIGENCE BRIEF - MDMA TABLETS WITH "BART SIMPSON" LOGOS
Over a recent three month time frame, the Oakland Police Department Criminalistics Laboratory (Oakland, California) received a variety of tablets bearing the Bart Simpson logo, all suspected Ecstasy. The tablets were all seized in Oakland, California, pursuant to four different enforcement actions by the Oakland Police Department. Two light-red colored tablets (net mass of one tablet 0.16 grams, diameter not measured) were part of a polydrug seizure pursuant to a traffic violation (photo not provided). A pink-salmon colored tablet (net mass 0.17 grams, diameter approximately 0.2 inches) was seized pursuant to a prostitution sting (see Photo 10 to the left). Three green tablets (net mass of one tablet 0.20 grams, diameter approximately 0.2 inches) were part of a polydrug seizure pursuant to a traffic violation (see Photo 11).
Finally, ten speckled green tablets (net mass of one tablet 0.19 grams, diameter approximately 0.2 inches) were part of a polydrug seizure pursuant to the arrest of a street level drug trafficker (see Photo 12). Analysis of the various seizures by three color/spot tests (not specified) and two microcrystalline tests (not specified) confirmed MDMA (not quantitated). These were the first submissions of “Bart Simpson” logo Ecstasy tablets to the laboratory. * * * * * - INTELLIGENCE BRIEF - 5-METHOXY-N,N-DIMETHYLTRYPTAMINE NEAR BROOKSVILLE, FLORIDA The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Tampa Crime Laboratory (Tampa, Florida) recently received a small amount (less than 0.01 gram) of a white powder from the Hernando County Sheriff’s Department. The powder was seized by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Department pursuant to the investigation of a physical confrontation in Brooksville (approximately 60 miles north of Tampa), and field-tested negative for cocaine and methamphetamine. Analysis by GC and GC/MS indicated 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5MeO-DMT) (not quantitated). The suspect claimed to have synthesized the material himself; however, no clandestine laboratory was discovered as a result of the investigation. This is the first time the laboratory has encountered 5-MeO-DMT. * * * * * - INTELLIGENCE BRIEF - POLYDRUG SEIZURE
INCLUDING A LARGE QUANTITY OF GHB/GBL The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation’s Central Drug Lab (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) recently received a polydrug seizure including four vials (one unlabelled, containing a white powder (suspected ketamine), two labelled nandrolone decanoate (1 milliliter each), and one labelled testosterone cypionate (10 milliliters)), six plastic one gallon jugs containing liquids (suspected GBL), a plastic bag of tan powder (suspected methamphetamine), and twenty-six bags of white, crystalline powder (suspected “Ice” methamphetamine) (see Photo 13 below).
The exhibits were seized pursuant to a traffic stop by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol in Canadian County (approximately 30 miles west of Oklahoma City). The suspect claimed to be travelling from California to New York and Washington, DC. Analysis of the contents of labelled vials by GC and GC/MS confirmed nandrolone decanoate and testosterone cypionate. Analysis of the powder in the fourth vial (total net mass 0.3 grams) by GC and GC/MS confirmed ketamine. Analysis of the liquid contents of the jugs (total gross weight 56.5 pounds) by GC and GC/MS indicated a mixture of GHB and GBL (not quantitated). Analysis of the tan powder in the plastic bag (total net mass 89.7 grams) by GC, GC/MS, and HPLC confirmed 72.5 percent methamphetamine hydrochloride. Analysis of the white powders in the plastic bags (total net mass 1301 grams) by GC, GC/MS, and HPLC confirmed methamphetamine hydrochloride; however, the purities ranged from 58.3 to 73.4 percent, with an average of 65.2 percent (isomer not determined). Therefore, the exhibits were not “Ice”. The quantities of GHB/GBL and methamphetamine were unusually large submissions for the laboratory. * * * * * - INTELLIGENCE BRIEF - MIS-LABELLED STEROID AMPULE IN LEWISVILLE, TEXAS The DEA South Central Laboratory (Dallas, Texas) recently received a submission of 281 ampules labelled as nandrolone decanoate (see Photo 14 and labelling information, below). The exhibit was seized pursuant to a residential search by Customs agents in Lewisville, Texas (just north of Dallas/Fort Worth). Analysis by GC/MS, FTIR, and HPLC, however, indicated not nandrolone decanoate but rather testosterone enanthate 200 milligrams/milliliter in injectable oil (oil not identified). Because the amount (1 milliliter per ampule) and concentration matched the labelling, it is suspected that this exhibit represented a licit product that was mislabelled. The laboratory has previously received exhibits of both nandrolone decanoate and testosterone enanthate, and has also previously received mislabelled steroids, both licit and counterfeit products.
* * * * * - INTELLIGENCE BRIEF - MDMA MIMIC TABLETS WITH CROSS LOGOS CONTAINING PHENCYCLIDINE (PCP) AT A CLANDESTINE METHAMPHETAMINE LABORATORY IN WALDORF, MARYLAND
The DEA Mid-Atlantic Laboratory (Largo, Maryland) recently received 198 blue tablets with a cross logo on one side and a single score mark on the other, suspected Ecstasy (see Photo 15 to the left). The tablets were recovered at an iodine - red phosphorous methamphetamine clandestine laboratory in Waldorf by chemists from the Mid-Atlantic Laboratory and agents from the Washington, DC HIDTA Group (Waldorf is about 20 miles south-southwest of Washington, DC). The tablets were round, biconvex, approximately 10 millimeters in diameter, and weighed 256 milligrams each. Analysis by color testing, GC, FTIR, and GC/MS, however, indicated not MDMA but rather phencyclidine (PCP) (0.38 milligrams/tablet). This was the first submission to the laboratory of suspected Ecstasy tablets containing only PCP. There was no indication that PCP was being produced at the clandestine laboratory.
* * * * * CORRECTIONS, CLARIFICATIONS, AND UPDATES "COUNTERFEIT" METHYLPHENIDATE
TABLETS CONTAINING
OXYCODONE ARE A GENUINE OXYCODONE PREPARATION [Editor’s Preface: The April 2004 issue of Microgram Bulletin included an Intelligence Alert that reported an apparent methylphenidate tablet that actually contained oxycodone. In fact the tablet was almost certainly a genuine oxycodone preparation. The misidentification resulted from an error in the 2003 Drug Identification Bible - that in turn was likely caused because the manufacturer’s (Mallinckrodt) five milligram methylphenidate tablet is highly similar in appearance to their five milligram oxycodone tablet (see Photos 16 and 17 below). Over 20 laboratories pointed out this error since the publication of the April 2004 issue. The following letter is representative of all the submissions concerning this issue. Thanks to everyone who submitted a correction.] Sir: With regard to the April 2004 edition of Microgram Bulletin, and the Intelligence Alert on counterfeit methylphenidate tablets containing oxycodone, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (Tampa Laboratory) has had several encounters with these tablets. The presence or absence of "scoring" is critial in the presumptive identification of these tablets. Unscored, "M5" tablets contain methylphenidate HCl 5 mg (NDC#00406-1121-01). Scored, "M5" tablets contain oxycodone HCl 5 mg (NDC# 00406-0552-01). The "5" is above the score. In each case the tablets are white, the "M" is inside a square and the "5" is on the opposite side. Both pharmaceuticuals are manufactured by Mallinckrodt. Per a conversation with a Mallinckrodt pharmacist on 5/12/04, Mallinckrodt will be making changes to further distinguish these preparations. They can be viewed on the Mallinckrodt web page at: www.mallinckrodt.com Anne J. Person
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 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 June 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 Corte Suprema de Justicia de la Nacion Argentina, Argentina CP1026 Franklin County Coroners Office, Colombus, Ohio Probe Scientific, El Cerrito, California ---------- The following organization (listed last month) was dropped on 4/30/04: Lothian and Borders Police, Edinburgh, Scotland
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 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.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
1.
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (Third and Final
Posting) Duties: Incumbent will: 1) Use current state of the art methodologies and instrumentation to analyze controlled substances; 2) Prepare Certificates of Analyses on findings for use by the criminal justice system; and 3) Testify in court as a qualified expert for the Commonwealth at criminal proceedings as to the results of laboratory findings. Position requires occasional overnight travel. Employee will provide own transportation as required. Qualifications: Knowledge, skills and abilities: Knowledge of basic theoretical principles and applications of the instrumentation and methodologies used to analyze controlled substances required. Knowledge of laboratory safety procedures; quality assurance/quality control and laboratory practices; instrumental analysis (GC, GC/MS, FTIR, UV) and experience in forensic drug analysis required. Successful completion of a documented training program and/or demonstration of competency is required. Experience presenting testimony in a court of law, as an expert witness is preferred. Must be able to analyze data, develop sound conclusions, maintain accurate records, and analyze, and solve technical problems. Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing required. A baccalaureate degree in chemistry or other related science with sufficient chemistry courses is required; graduate degree is preferred. Valid driver’s license and/or other means of reliable transportation required. Application Procedures: Applicants must submit a state application (#10 012). Applications may be mailed to the Department of Criminal Justice Services, 805 East Broad Street, 10th Floor, Richmond, VA 23219, ATTN: Human Resource Office; emailed to: gcolburn -at- dcjs.state.va.us or faxed to 804 786 6484. State application forms may be obtained by calling (804) 786 4246 or by downloading the form from the employment section of the DCJS web page at www.dcjs.org For assistance, call Gene Colburn at (804) 786 6925. AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS 1.
Title: 14th Annual CLIC Training Seminar (First Posting) * * * * * 2.
Title: SWAFS Fall Conference (Second Bimonthly Posting) * * * * * 3. Title: Joint Meeting of the Southern Association of Forensic Scientists,
the Midwestern Association of Forensic * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Proper scientific measurements include an estimate of precision. All instruments have measurable errors. For example, a balance may describe the weight of an item as 32.05 grams, plus or minus 0.01 grams. The first value is the measured weight and the second value is the range of uncertainty in that measurement. These estimates are usually based either on a manufacturer’s testing, or a user’s independent calibration against a series of documented standards. Knowing the estimate of error is “good science”, since real world decisions are often based on both the measurement and its corresponding uncertainty. As a forensic science discipline, Digital Evidence also needs to consider if individual measurements or the entire examination process have quantifiable estimates of uncertainty. As defined by the Scientific Working Group on Digital Evidence (SWGDE), Digital Evidence is “information of probative value that is stored or transmitted in binary form.” Binary data is often described as opposite discrete states of magnetic flux, in other words, the proverbial “on/off” state. Therefore, there wouldn’t appear to be any question or uncertainty in such measurements, and no apparent need to estimate uncertainty. However nothing in scientific measurement is simple and that includes the recording and copying of binary data. Consider the following three issues: First, all binary data is stored either as a magnetic flux (on hard drives, diskettes, and tapes) or optical reflectivity (on CD’s, DVD’s, and magnet optical disks). Detection of these recorded states is an analog measurement made by a “read head”, as dictated by its controller logic settings. Recognition of an “on” state is an analog electronic measurement, the criteria for which can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Additionally, magnetic flux deteriorates as a function of time (as many tape archivists can attest); this is the so called magnetic historisis effect. Second, hard drive read heads and optical laser read heads can themselves degrade over time. The decreasing sensitivity of the read head to detect or discriminate between an “on” from an “off” state diminishes the device’s ability to consistently and accurately read stored data. Third, a data storage controller logic circuit or operating system may detect a bad block of data at any time and declare the data storage area as invalid, thereby eliminating it from all user access and computational activity. In other words, the data stored within the block marked as “bad” becomes inaccessible to the user. A “bad” sector may be the result of only one bit in one byte being undetectable by the read head. [If necessary, the remaining data in the block may be recovered using advanced recovery techniques.] Other blocks of data may be inherently inaccessible due to limits placed on the hard drive controller by the manufacturer. Access to such data storage areas, commonly referred to as “reserved or unreferenced” blocks, is possible but difficult. These blocks provide a relatively discrete area to hide data. Data Copying A hash is a summary output of a standardized mathematical equation or algorithm that is designed to compare the binary pattern in one object with the binary pattern in a second object. The entire binary content of the object that is to be measured (sector, cluster, file, directory, partition or hard drive) is fed into the hash algorithm and a resulting summary value is produced. The assertion that a copy is authentic is based on comparing the hash value of the original data with the hash value of the copy. If the hash values are identical, the copy is considered to be an exact duplicate. Currently, most digital evidence examiners use a computer security industry standard hash algorithm known as MD 5 (developed in 1994 by Dr. Ronald L. Rivest of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology). This algorithm produces a 128 bit value as its output. Consequently, an assertion that a copy is authentic based on a MD 5 hash is actually a probabilistic assessment that the chance of two different data sets having the same hash value would be approximately 1 in 2128 (i.e., an incredibly large number, meaning an incredibly small chance). An even more exacting hash algorithm is the SHA 1 algorithm, which calculates the hash value of the target binary data set to a value of 2160. SHA 1 was developed by the U.S. National Institute of Standards. DEA currently uses the MD 5 algorithm because the calculation times are shorter than SHA 1, and it is generally accepted as the present standard in digital evidence forensics. The importance of hashing in the digital evidence acquisition process is to statistically demonstrate that it is virtually impossible to produce two sets of data having the same hash value. Consequently, the probability estimates inherent in the hash algorithm define the estimate of uncertainty in the digital evidence duplication phase. Overall Examination Quantitative estimates of both errors of omission as well as errors of commission need to be undertaken in order to enable courts and jurors to assess the merits of the digital data that is presented. To date, no such studies have been published. The discipline of digital evidence is still relatively new, and the scopes of examination differ widely, making a single estimate of uncertainty for the discipline a difficult undertaking. Both government and academia need to address this issue, as the importance of digital evidence as a forensic technique gains in acceptance by both investigators and the courts. Questions or comments? e-mail: mphelan -at- erols.com |
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9-tetrahydrocannabinol
(THC), with a label that is visually similar to the commercial peanut
butter product Jif® (see Photo 1 to the left).
The exhibit was seized from an individual at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint
on
IH-35, 16 miles
north of Laredo, Texas. The labelling on the jar includes “Splif
Peanut Butter”, “Choosy Patients Choose Splif”, a
marijuana leaf logo with the word “Tainted”, and user instructions
(see Photos 2 and 3 below). The exhibit
(total net mass not measured) had a strong odor both of peanut butter
and marijuana. Analysis by
color testing and GC/MS confirmed THC (not quantitated). This is believed
to be the first such exhibit received by the laboratory.
