ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 January 1983
Page Count: 14

The Clandestine Drug Laboratory Situation in the United States
Frank, RS
Chief, Drug Enforcement Administration, Department of Justice, DC

(Received 8 March 1982; accepted 6 May 1982)

Abstract

Clandestine, or illegal, laboratories are operated by the criminal element to circumvent legal requirements with the goal of supplying drugs of abuse to the illicit market. Investigation of clandestine drug manufacturing laboratories is a high priority of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) because elimination of these laboratories will prevent drugs of abuse from reaching the illicit drug traffic. One of the important responsibilities of forensic chemists assisting in investigations of clandestine drug laboratories is to be familiar with the methods of synthesis being used by clandestine laboratory, operators. A review of clandestine laboratory seizures during the period of 1978 through 1981 will be provided to familiarize forensic chemists with current information on the types of laboratories being seized in the United States and the methods of synthesis being used.

Keywords:
criminalistics, controlled substances, synthesis, methamphetamine, phencyclidine, ampbetamine, methaqualone, methlenedioxyamphetamine

Paper ID: JFS12235J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS12235J
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