Chemical Profiling of Cocaine for the Australian Illicit Drug Intelligence Program

摘要

Production of cocaine from countries of the Andean region of South America continues despite continual intervention. Presently Colombia is the largest producer of illicit cocaine with annual production greater than 500 tonnes. However, Peruvian production of cocaine is on the increase and Peru could regain its title of being the world's number one cocaine supplier in the future. The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) continually monitors current cocaine trends, and through its Cocaine Signature Program carries out in-depth chemical analysis (profiling) on over 3000 cocaine hydrochloride exhibits obtained from bulk seizures made throughout the US annually. Cocaine importation into Australia continues to increase and has attained an average street price of dollar270 per gram in both Sydney and Melbourne [1]. Last year (2006), approximately 450 cocaine samples obtained from Australian Federal Police bulk border seizures were chemically profiled for the Australian Illicit drug Intelligence Program using chemical analysis methods harmonised with those used by the US DEA. The results obtained from profiling of cocaine imported into Australia are analogous to those obtained by the DEA for cocaine imported into the US. This can provide information about the country of origin and processing techniques, and is of strategic and tactical importance to limit the supply of cocaine by identifying syndicates and transport links. This paper describes details of the chemical profiling methods and how they have been harmonised with the US DEA to obtain international measurement uniformity.