III. PRODUCTION/MANUFACTURE OF DRUGS OF ABUSE

2. Clandestine laboratories

1. What agency/department undertakes clandestine laboratory investigations in your jurisdiction?
2. What is the most dangerous aspect of clandestine laboratory investigation?
3. List some of the common physical hazards encountered at a clandestine laboratory.
4. List some of the common chemical hazards encountered at a clandestine laboratory.
5. List some special hazards encountered at a clandestine laboratory that are not commonly found at other crime scenes.
6. What is chemical segregation, and how does it apply to clandestine laboratories?
7. Define the following terms: precursor, key chemical, reagent, by-product, intermediate.
8. A police officer contacts you stating that she has a suspect in custody and upon a search of his vehicle the following items were found many empty lithium battery packages, a funnel, string, an empty gasoline container, coffee filters, plastic hoses, starting fluid, and clamps. What information could you provide the officer? What other items should she look for?
9. All chemicals/drugs can be toxic, given the correct circumstances. What are the primary considerations when trying to gauge the toxicity of a substance?
10. List some common physical hazards of solvents at a clan lab site.
11. List some of the circumstances that must be considered when trying to destroy clan lab chemicals.
12. Why would it be better to destroy some chemicals at the clan lab scene, rather than transporting/storing them?
13. Describe some of the challenges/considerations when sampling an unknown liquid at a clan lab.
14. List some common analytical techniques/tests that can be used in the field at a clan lab in order to presumptively identify substances?
15. What are the most common clandestinely produced drugs in your area?
16. Name at least one synthesis route for a commonly produced illicit drug.
17. What are the commonly used methods for clandestine methamphetamine manufacture – describe.
18. What precursors are used for commonly seen illicit ATS compounds?
19. What enantiomers of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine would be synthesized into d-methamphetamine?
20. When reacted with lithium/NH3 will d-pseudoephedrine tablets produce d-methamphetamine or l-methamphetamine?
21. When d-pseudoephedrine tablets that also contain triprolidine as a co-medication are reacted with lithium/NH3, will the triprolidine form a reduction product?
22. If an investigator finds pseudoephedrine tablets, phosporous, tincture of iodine, and toluene at a suspected clan lab site, what is the likely drug being manufactured? What route is likely being used?
23. Does the isomeric form of methylamphetamine provide an insight to the method of manufacture?
24. How does the use of sulfuric acid in the final step of a reaction with methamphetamine result in the formation of a HYDROCHLORIDE salt?
25. What is the use of Ephedra in clandestine manufacture?
26. List the main alkaloids found in Ephedra.