Illicit Production of Cocaine

Illicit Production of Cocaine Casale JF, Klein RFX

Forensic Forensic Science Review 5, 95-10 !199"#

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$%stract The predominant methods currently used for illicit production of cocaine are described. For illicit natural cocaine (i.e., from coca leaf), this includes production of coca paste from coca leaf via both the solvent and acid extraction techniues, purification of coca paste to cocaine  base, and conversion of cocaine base to cocaine hydrochloride. hydrochloride. For illicit synthetic cocaine (i.e., synthesi!ed from precursor chemicals), the classic five"step synthetic route used in all clandestine laboratories sei!ed to date is summari!ed. The ori#ins of the most common al$aloidal impurities and processin#%synthetic by"products typically identified in illicit natural, illicit synthetic, and pharmaceutical cocaine are discussed. Forensic differentiation of exhibits arisin# from the various production methods are addressed both in terms of overall  product purity and the presence%absence of these impurities and byproducts. byproducts.

&a%le of Contents &. Table of 'ontents . ntroduction &. *ro+in# and Harvestin# of 'oca Leaf  . llicit 'ocaine roduction &. llicit -atural 'ocaine &. 'oca aste . 'o$e ase /. 'ocaine Hydrochloride . llicit 0ynthetic 'ocaine /. Licit (harmaceutical) 'ocaine roduction 1. Forensic 2ifferentiation of Licit 3ersus 3ersus llicit 'ocaine &. llicit -atural 'ocaine . llicit 0ynthetic 'ocaine /. harmaceutical 'ocaine &. References

Introduction

Throu#hout the &456s and into the &446s, cocaine ( 0tructure 1) has been the most +idely used 7hard7 dru# of abuse in the 8nited 0tates 91. :lthou#h :lthou#h recent dru# abuse monitors have su##ested that illicit cocaine usa#e in the 8nited 0tates is declinin# 9/, +orld+ide use is still rapidly increasin# due to expandin# e xpandin# mar$ets in ;urope, 0outh :merica, and the Far ;ast 9