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Peruvian Foodstuffs with Cocaine

NCJ Number
225793
Journal
Problems of Forensic Sciences Volume: 75 Dated: 2008 Pages: 276-281
Author(s)
Ewa Janowska
Date Published
2008
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article describes the features of a case in Poland in which a person returning from Peru was arrested at a Polish airport after a drug-sniffing dog targeted foodstuffs from Peru as containing drugs that are illegal in Poland.
Abstract
The foodstuffs were in the form of candies, instant tea, and pieces of a green substance. The names of the products suggested they might contain cocaine. The arrested person indicated that he purchased the products in Peru from a store that offered various foods manufactured from coca leaves. Poland’s Institute of Forensic Research examined the products at issue for the presence of cocaine and benzoylecgonine using high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). Cocaine and benzoylecgonine were found in the analyzed sweets (Cocamelo and Coca Toffee), as well as tea; however, only cocaine was found in one of the teas and in the green substance. Assuming that the active dose of cocaine is 10-20 mg, the analysis determined that a single ingestion of the products in the following quantities would constitute an active dose of cocaine: 100 to 200 Coca Toffee sweets; 5 to 10 Cocamelo sweets; 4-8 tea bags; and 2-4 grams of the green substance. Cocaine is the ester of ecgonine with methyl alcohol and benzoic acid; it easily undergoes decomposition to benzoylecgonine. The presence of this compound was indicated in some of the evidence analyzed, which could be associated with long storage of these products. In accordance with Polish law, the import of foodstuffs that contain controlled substances is prohibited and subject to legal sanctions, whether or not the products can be legally purchased in other countries. 5 figures, 1 table, and 9 references

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