- Source: Precursor chemicals
Drug precursors, also referred to as precursor chemicals or simply precursors, are substances used to manufacture illicit drugs. Most precursors also have legitimate commercial uses and are legally used in a wide variety of industrial processes and consumer products, such as medicines, flavourings, and fragrances.
International regulators of precursor chemicals consider it necessary to recognise and protect the legal trade of these chemicals, while at the same time preventing their diversion from such trade for use in the illegal manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychoactive substances. For example, phenylacetic acid is used legally in the production of penicillin, flavourings, perfume, and cleaning solutions, but it can also be used in the illegal manufacture of amphetamines and methamphetamine.
The international framework for precursor control is set out under Articles 12 and 13 of the 1988 United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, requiring UN member states to establish and enforce regulatory systems that monitor the trade in their country, as well as movement of precursor chemicals into and out of their country (e.g. transshipment). Monitoring is carried out through measures including the licensing and registration of operators, procedures and requirements governing movement of chemicals, as well as documentation, record keeping and labelling requirements.
The International Narcotics Control Board has also established tools including the Pre-Export Notification Online (PEN-Online) and Precursors Incident Communication (PICS) systems, in addition to annual information reporting through 'Form D' and the International Special Surveillance List (ISSL) for non-controlled and designer chemicals which can be used as precursors themselves for certain illicit drugs or pre-precursors, to support UN Member States in their domestic regulatory efforts and cross-border coordination. There is also harmonised legislation across Europe which puts a control system in place with the aim to achieve a balance between precursor diversion prevention without inhibiting legal trade.
The East Asia and Southeast Asia regions are referred to by many regulatory and law enforcement experts as the largest source for precursor chemicals used for illicit drug production, including by the INCB and UN Office on Drugs and Crime, in-part because a wide variety of chemicals are frequently diverted and trafficked within the region and to other parts of the world including to North America, Central and South America, Oceania (Australia and New Zealand), Europe, and Africa.
Trafficking
Organized crime groups operating in East and Southeast Asia have demonstrated significant sophistication in recent years, as well as their comparative advantage when it comes to sourcing precursors and specialized non-controlled precursor and pre-precursor chemicals for the illicit manufacture of drugs. Aside from regulatory controls that are easily bypassed, Southeast Asia, and in particular the Mekong sub-region, is situated next to two of the world's leading chemical-producing countries, China and India.
However, while the chemical and pharmaceutical industries of China, and to a lesser extent India, are known to be the primary sources of the chemicals used for illicit drug production in Southeast Asia, these industries have also grown rapidly within the region itself in recent years and play an increasingly important role in the illicit drug trade. For example, between 2010 and 2018, outputs of chemicals and their products in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, increased in value by nearly 40 per cent from US$132 billion to US$181 billion.
Examples of such precursors and drugs made with them are listed below.
Precursors
2C-H
2C-x
N-Acetylanthranilic acid
methaqualone
Anthranilic acid
methaqualone
Benzaldehyde
amphetamine
phenylacetone
Benzyl cyanide
phenylacetone
CBD
THC (see conversion of CBD to THC)
Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine
methamphetamine
methcathinone
Ergocristine, ergine, ergonovine, and ergotamine
LSD
Ethylamine
ethylamphetamine
GBL
GHB
Safrole, isosafrole, and 3,4-methylenedioxyphenylpropan-2-one
MDMA, MDEA, MDA
Methylamine
methamphetamine
N-Methylephedrine and N-methylpseudoephedrine
dimethylamphetamine
N-Phenethyl-4-piperidone (NPP)
fentanyl and analogues
Nitroethane
amphetamine
MDA
phenylacetone
Norpseudoephedrine and phenylpropanolamine
amphetamine
4-methylaminorex
Phenylacetic acid
phenylacetone
Piperidine
phencyclidine (PCP)
Piperonal (heliotropin)
MDMA, MDEA, MDA
Propionic anhydride
fentanyl and analogues
Acetic anhydride
heroin
methaqualone
phenylacetone
Benzyl chloride
methamphetamine
1-(2-Chloro-N-methylbenzimidoyl)cyclopentanol
ketamine
Reagents
Hydriodic acid
methamphetamine
Hypophosphorous acid
amphetamine
methamphetamine
Iodine
amphetamine
methamphetamine
Red phosphorus and white phosphorus
amphetamine
methamphetamine
Potassium permanganate
cocaine
methcathinone
Sodium permanganate
cocaine
Hydrochloric acid (hydrogen chloride)
amphetamine
cocaine
N,N-dimethylamphetamine
ethylamphetamine
fentanyl and analogues
heroin
LSD
MDA
MDE
MDMA
methamphetamine
methaqualone
methcathinone
phencyclidine (PCP)
Sulfuric acid
amphetamine
cocaine
MDA
MDE
MDMA
methamphetamine
methaqualone
phenylacetone
Solvents
Acetone
cocaine
heroin
LSD
MDA
MDE
MDMA
methamphetamine
Diethyl ether
amphetamine
cocaine
fentanyl and analogues
heroin
LSD
MDA
MDE
MDMA
methamphetamine
methaqualone
methcathinone
phencyclidine (PCP)
phenylacetone
Methylethylketone (butanone) and methyl isobutyl ketone
cocaine
heroin
MDA
MDEA
methamphetamine
Toluene
cocaine
fentanyl and analogues
methaqualone
phencyclidine (PCP)
phenylacetone
Denatured Ethanol/Isopropynol
methamphetamine
cocaine
heroin
Hexane
methamphetamine
References
See also
Chemical Diversion and Trafficking Act
Clandestine chemistry
Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005
Controlled Substances Act
DEA list of chemicals
European law on drug precursors
United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances
Kata Kunci Pencarian:
- Asam fenilasetat
- Dietil eter
- Efedrin
- Precursor chemicals
- Precursor (chemistry)
- Clandestine chemistry
- Illegal drug trade in China
- List of Schedule 1 substances (CWC)
- Chemical Weapons Convention
- Petrochemical
- Zhao Wei (gangster)
- Sinaloa Cartel
- List of psychoactive substances and precursor chemicals derived from genetically modified organisms