Citation

Usman M, Jamshaid T, Naseer A, Baig Y, Mehmood Z, Shahwar M, Akhtar S, Chaudhary MT, Sarwar M, Tahir MA. Egypt. J. Forensic Sci. 2018; 8(1): e73.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Forensic Medicine Authority of Egypt, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1186/s41935-018-0105-3

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Various synthetic or semi-synthetic drugs like cocaine, amphetamine type stimulants (ATS), and heroin are produced and processed in clandestine laboratories. Every clan lab has its own procedures and protocols for drug synthesis and processing. A drug can be brought up in different forms like pharmaceutical tablets or raw street powder or any else, depending upon different types of adulterants or diluents and the physical modifications required for its transportation. Since a specific drug is synthesized by various clandestine laboratories, it is likely to have some differences between the two samples due to slightly different synthesis protocols used or the nature and concentration of adulterants. Detailed analysis of drug samples can determine, whether the drug belongs to common source or not. The basic purpose of alterations in physical form is to deceive the law enforcement agencies and to increase the bulk.

Language: en