The KTI has served as the national centre for comparative forensic testing of ecstasy tablets in Germany since the mid-1990s and maintains a collection of samples from over 40 countries. Furthermore, large quantities of drugs, counterfeit pharmaceuticals, and doping agents have been examined since half a decade. These activities form the core of the extensive CAPE program (Central Analysis Precursors & Ecstasy), in which questions of international import are addressed and support is provided for the identification and seizure of illegal laboratories in Germany and abroad.
Examples of motifs found on ecstasy tablets
Tablets seized in sealed foil wrapping may serve as evidence of illegal transport and trafficking in narcotics in significant quantities. Precise identification of the chemical composition of tablets is of importance in criminal investigations. In addition, information about the illegally produced tablet itself may provide insights into the entire production process, from the procurement of base components to active ingredient synthesis to packaging and distribution.
The analytical basis comprises spectrographic and chromatographic methods, to which capillary electrophoresis, X-ray diffractometry and stable isotope ration measurement have recently been added. CAPE also includes pharmacological and toxicological evaluations and expert assessments, particularly with respect to new designer drugs, which also reflect the aspects of prevention, education and the initiation of relevant legislation, i.e. the inclusion of these drugs in the Narcotics Act.
Professional illegal narcotics laboratory
Of key importance to the effective function of such “intelligence systems” are the continuous exchange of information and co-operation among participating partners, which also encompasses practical training units for police officers and forensic technicians in which participants work with model illegal drug laboratory scenarios. Illegal drug production poses serious hazards in any event, as regulations regarding such aspects as electrical installation, work safety, etc. are not observed in these facilities. A wide range of different chemicals may be stored in unmarked containers. Offenders have been known to take protective measures in some cases, including the installation of photoelectric barriers and the use of firearms.
In recent years, Europe has evolved from a pure consumer region for ecstasy tablets to a narcotics source region and now dominates the global ecstasy market. Nearly every country in the world is now supplied with ecstasy tablets from Europe.
The worldwide production of amphetamine remains predominantly in Europe while the production of ecstasy tablets relocated closer to its consumer markets in East and South East Asia, North America and Oceania. However, a large proportion of the production of ecstasy pills remains in Western Europe
The process frequently involves so-called compensation deals for other narcotics, such as heroine and cocaine. Thus another focal point in the work of the KTI is the forensic analysis of large-scale seizures within the context of criminal investigations relating to international and organized drug crime.
NMR spectrometer (500 MHz) with auto sampler. Prepared powder samples of seized ecstasy tablets are dissolved at the NMR laboratory and introduced to the sampler changer in thin sample tubes.
A quick overview of the majority of active and excipient ingredients likely to be contained in seized tablets can be obtained through mixture analysis with the aid of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). The spectra recorded with this method provide a picture of the molecules contained in the sample. Only a few milligrams are required to obtain both structural data and precise information about quantitative composition in an initial scanning run. The processes of identification and determination of ingredient concentrations are now largely automated. More complex compositions or initially unknown active or excipient ingredients can be identified through supplemental NMR-spectroscopy, mass spectroscopy (MS) and infrared spectroscopy (IR). The extraordinarily high mass accuracy of the hybrid mass spectrometer that is used here allows the determination of molecular formulae of unknown substances; so-called MSn-experiments additionally allow the collection of valuable structural information.
Preparative LC-MS system
In especially difficult cases, preparative pre-separation of components via liquid chromatography is required. A system equipped with an MS detector available for this purpose enables analysts to obtain separate samples and standard substances for use in further analytical testing procedures.
Isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) performed on seized narcotic substances can contribute significantly to comparison analysis. Because every substance is subject to specific changes in its isotope ratios during the production process, the determination of isotope ratios by mass spectrometry can be used effectively in many areas of forensic science.
High-resolution hybrid mass spectrometer
The identification of matching isotope ratios in an incriminated sample and a comparison material (e.g. possessed by a suspect) is an indicator of common origin or “sameness of material” resulting from the specific production process. The more isotopes examined, the more reliable the matching process.
The KTI at the BKA has recently acquired different systems for the analysis of narcotics and other, primarily organic substances. The process involves analysis of the isotope ratios of the elements hydrogen (2H/1H), oxygen (18O/16O), carbon (13C/12C) and nitrogen (15N/14N). These “organic” elements can provide clues regarding technical production methods (process, starting compound, reaction parameters) in the case of synthetic compounds or to the origin and biosynthesis of natural compounds. The element isotopes provide different types of data relating to the possible origins of natural compounds. Climatic conditions, for example, are reflected in the δ2H ratio, biosynthesis in the δ13C ratio and soil quality and possible fertilizer use in the δ15N ratio.
Elemental analyzers for the elements cited above are available for determining the total isotope ratio of a narcotics sample (bulk sample, preparation). In examinations focused on specific substances within a narcotics mixture, samples can be separated using direct coupled methods such as gas or liquid chromatography prior to isotope ratio determination.
Overview of analytic methods available for determination of isotope ratios of organic material (in an ecstasy tablet, for example)