Clandestine Laboratories Flashcards
Clandestine
Something kept secret or done secretively, especially because it is illicit.
Clandestine Labs Purposes
The purpose of clandestine laboratories can be either personal or related to serious organised crime.
Personal - to make money or substances for own gain/use.
Serious organised crime - to fund other more serious crimes.
Criminal Act of Fraud
Dishonestly making a false misrepresentation with the intention of making a gain for yourself or another.
Avoidance of Tax
Examples:
Non payment of road fuel duty by deliberate removal of marker dyes and reselling as duty-paid fuels.
Illegal production of alcoholic beverages selling as counterfeit branded goods.
Fraud and Tax Avoidance
Both the criminal act of fraud, and the avoidance of tax may involve counterfeiting laboratories including those for the production of medicines, alcoholic beverages and perfumes.
Illegal Diesel Fuel (1)
Dyes are added to fuels to indicate the difference between rebated (dyed) fuels and un-rebated (colourless) fuels.
In the UK, red diesel is dyed gas oil used for agricultural and non-road applications and is significantly cheaper than heavier-taxed diesel fuel.
Illegal Diesel Fuel (2)
Different countries add different dyes to fuels.
For red diesel, the UK uses quinizarine, Solvent Red 24 and Solvent Orange dyes, Euromarker and ACCUTRACE S10.
For kerosene, the UK uses coumarin, Euromarker and ACCUTRACE S10.
Illegal Diesel Fuel (3)
Solvent dyes are intended to be difficult to remove from fuel in an economical way, whereas earlier dyes were more easily removed resulting in tax faruds.
Illegal activity involves attempted removal of dyes from rebated fuels and selling as un-rebated.
Testing of Dyes and Markers
Dyes and markers can be determined by HPLC and their presence indicates a rebated fuel.
Extract dyes from fuel using solid-phase micro-extraction (silica), remove dyes from silica absorbent using solvent (e.g. acetone), evaporate to dryness and re-dissolve in a known volume of methanol.
Methods of Laboratory Analysis (Unlicensed Medicines)
Physical description
Record weight (and quantity if in pill form)
Use of computer data bases, such as TICTAC to aid possible identification of tablets
Presumptive testing
Confirmatory analysis (FTIR and GCMS)
Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (GCMS)
Gas chromatography is used to separate components from complex mixtures
Mass spectometers provide information that can be linked to structure.
GCMS can perform qualitative and quantitative analysis.
Diazepam
Molecular formula: C(16)H(13)ClN(2)O
Relative Molecular Mass (RMM): 284.8
Colour Test: Formadehyde-sulphuric acid (orange)
Tramadol
Molecular Formula: C(16)H(25)NO(2)
Relative Molecular Mass (RMM): 263.4
Cannabis Farms (1)
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 - restriction of cultivation of cannabis plant.
Cannabis Farms (2)
Determining their location:
Open fields or disused factories, warehouses, railway tunnels, domestic homes and rented properties.
Local intelligence gathering/surveillance.
Unusual purchases.
Members of the public reporting suspicious activity.
Electric usage monitoring.
New techniques - high definition thermal imaging cameras deployed by police helicopters, hand held devices.
Cannabis (3)
Planning a raid requires prior consultation with all agencies who may be involved, including:
Electricity/gas supplier
Forensic manager
Waste disposal
UK Border Agency
CPS
Health and safety briefing
Cannabis Farms (4)
Items of importance:
Lighting systems
Reflective wall coverings
Air extraction/circulation/ventilation
Plant nursery
Mother plants
Documents/receipts
Plant nutrients/chemicals
Soil acidity monitoring equipment
Pumping systems and growing tanks
Micron bags
Scales and self seal bags
Cannabis Farms (5)
New plants are taken as cuttings from female plants, or can be grown from seeds, and typically have 3-4 crops per year.
Plants at various stages are usually found:
Flowering - current
Non-flowering - follow-on crop
Cuttings - future
Waste
Cannabis Farms (6)
Methods of lab analysis:
Confirmation that plants are cannabis.
Are plants female?
Cuttings or seeds
Flowering tops present
Estimate potential annual yield
THC percentage
Calculation of anticipated yield for evidential purposes
THC - Tetrahydrocannabinol
THC is a psychoactive chemical that determines the potency/quality of cannabis, the highest concentration being found in flowering heads of female plants.
Proprietary name: Marinol.
Molecular formula: C(21)H(30)O(2)
RMM:314.5
Presumptive colour tests:
p-Dimethylaminobenzaldehyde (red/violet)
Duquenois reagent (violet blue/violet)
Synthetic Drug Labs (1)
These are not as common as cannabis farms, but are far more dangerous.
They involve highly flammable/explosive chemicals required, and make-shift heat sources.
In the UK, amphetamine is more popular than methamphetamine.
Synthetic Drug Labs (2)
Health and Safety at Scenes:
Armed gangs
Unlabelled chemicals
Reaction compounds
Sources of ignition
Hidden hazards
Toxic gases
Carcinogens
Booby traps
DIY electric systems
Hydroponic systems
