NCJ Number
145897
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 38 Issue: 6 Dated: (November 1993) Pages: 1305-1325
Date Published
1993
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This paper describes the method used by the authors for the comparative chemical analyses of two illicit cocaine seizures and its application in a successful criminal prosecution.
Abstract
The authors first describe events that led to the arrest of the defendant, followed by a summary of the jury trial. Investigators subjected cocaine found in the defendant's suitcase and wallet to chemical derivatization and three gas chromatographic methods for the detection and relative quantification of cocaine manufacturing impurities and by-products. The cocaine impurities included cis- and trans-cinnamoylcocaine, the isomeric truxillines, and the hydroxy-cocaines. Among the cocaine manufacturing byproducts detected were benzoylecgonine, ecgonine methyl ester, exgonine, N-benzoylnorecogonine methlester, and N- norcocaine. Chemical derivatization of the cocaine samples was accomplished with the use of heptafluorobutyric anhydride and N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)acetamide. The derivatized impurities/byproducts were subjected to capillary gas chromatographic analysis with the use of flame ionization and electron-capture detectors. The comparative chemical analyses yielded a positive correlation between the cocaine samples in the suitcase and the wallet. 4 tables, 5 figures, and 20 references