Summary Report on EU Drug Precursors Seizures 2009

Transcription

1 Ref. Ares(2015) /11/2015 DIRECTORATE-GENERAL TAXATION AND CUSTOMS UNION DIRECTORATE-GENERAL ENTERPRISE AND INDUSTRY EUROPEAN COMMISSION Summary Report on EU Drug Precursors Seizures 2009

2 FOREWORD Illicit drugs remain a major concern for European Citizens as they continue to be a serious threat to the security and health. Illicit drug producers need chemicals called "precursors" to manufacture drugs such as heroin, cocaine, ecstasy or amphetamines. In other words, there is no production of illicit drugs without drug precursors. The drug precursors have wide legitimate uses (e.g. in the synthesis of plastics, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, perfumes, detergents, or aromas), but can be diverted from the licit distribution channels for the illicit manufacturing of drugs. Therefore, controlling drug precursors is essential to prevent the diversion and misuse of these substances. By enforcing the EL) drug precursor legislation 1, the EU strives to ensure that diversion of drug precursors is prevented through control and monitoring of their legitimate trade. This involves close co-operation among the respective national competent authorities (notably Health, Police and Customs) as well as with the private sector and third countries. The EU drug precursor legislation requires a systematic reporting from Member States on seizures and stopped shipments of drug precursors. This allows identifying the evolution of trends in drug precursors trafficking and diversion. 1 Council Regulation (EC) No 111/2005; Regulation (EC) No 273/2004; Commission Regulation (EC) No 1277/

3 This summary report provides a brief overview of the seizures and stopped shipments of drug precursors made by EU Member States in Walter Deffaa Director General Directorate - General Taxation and Customs Union irék irector General torate - General Enterprise and Industry 3

4 TABLE OF CONTENTS Main findings in Graph: Quantities of the most sensitive drug precursors seized or stopped 8 Graph: Quantities of other drug precursors seized or stopped 8 Graph: Number of seizures and stopped shipments of the most sensitive drug precursors Graph: Number of seizures and stopped shipments of other drug precursors 9 9 Graph: Comparison of seizures and stopped shipments of the most sensitive drug precursors 10 Graph: Comparison of seizures and stopped shipments of other drug precursors 10 Examples of trafficking methods 11 Production of heroin 13 Production of cocaine 14 Production of methamphetamine and amphetamine 15 4

5 MAIN FINDINGS IN 2009 In 2009 the EU Member States reported 764 cases of seizures and stopped shipments of drug precursors, in comparison to 473 cases in the previous year. 10 cases of acetic anhydride (used in a wide range of chemical manufacturing processes, including medicinal products, but also the main heroin precursor) with around 33 tons seized or stopped. It is remarkable that about 97% of the quantities were stopped shipments (i.e. prevented diversion at the earliest stage due to close cooperation with the industry: the order was not executed). The 2009 overall quantities have very largely (- 87 %) decreased from 2008 when nearly 241 tons were seized or stopped. The EU's share of world-wide seizures dropped substantially from 75% in 2008 to only 4% in 2009 (almost 1 ton in the EU out of tons world-wide). (1 to 4 litres of acetic anhydride are needed to obtain 1kg of heroin.) 15 cases of 1-рЬепу1-2-ргорапопе, also referred to as BMK, (used largely by the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, but also illegally for the manufacture of amphetamine and methamphetamine). This was an increase both in number of cases (5 in 2008) and in the quantities seized or stopped (864 litres in 2009, versus 629 litres in 2008). (2 litres of BMK are needed to obtain 1kg of amphetamine or methamphetamine.) 5

6 3 cases of piperonal (legally used for perfumes and food production, in organic synthesis and for manufacture of mosquito repellents, but illegally used for the manufacture of different forms of ecstasy) litres were stopped or seized in 2009 which is an enormous increase from 2008, where only 4 litres were seized or stopped. (2.5 kg of piperonal are needed to produce 1 kg of MDMA/ecstasy.) Ephedrine and pseudo-ephedrine are legally used for pharmaceutical preparations/medicines, but illegally used for the manufacture of methamphetamine. Whereas the number of cases in raw and tablet form increased, the quantities decreased. Nevertheless, the figures remain substantial (in total 695 kg of ephedrine and 703 kg of pseudoephedrine seized or stopped in 2009) and thus show a continued risk of diversion and misuse of these substances. (1.5 kg of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine is needed to produce 1 kg of methamphetamine.) 4 cases of phenylacetic acid (normally used for synthesis of penicillin, perfume products and cleaning solutions, but also used in the illegal manufactuæ of amphetamine and methamphetamine). There has been a considerable increase in quantity over the last three years (50 kg in 2007; 153 kg in 2008 and 277 kg in 2009). The European Commission is about to adopt legislative measures to strengthen the control of this substance. 6

7 (About 4 kg of phenylacetic acid are used to obtain 1kg of amphetamine or methamphetamine.) 119 cases of gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) (widely used as solvent in the production of paints, vitamins and medicines, but also a precursor of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), a psychoactive compound misused for drug assisted sexual assaults). In 2009, there was a considerable decline (- 90%) of quantity seized or stopped from 2263 litres in 2008 to 228 litres in cases of acetone (used as solvent in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry, but also used for the manufacture of illicit drugs such as cocaine, heroin, LSD, amphetamine and methamphetamine derivatives). The quantity seized or stopped has substantially increased from 9027 litres in 2008 to litres in The graphs on the following pages provide an illustration of quantities and numbers of seized or stopped substances in The final graphs provide a comparison of the findings over the last three years ( ). For further information: taxud-unit-b1(a)ec.europa.eu entr-chemicals@ec.europa.eu Website: customs/customs/customs controls/drugs precursors/index en.htm en.htm 7

8 Quantities of the most sensitive drug precursors seized or stopped , , , , , ,00 ID Tolal kg/l [ , ,00 & 0,00 'WOO 954,00 863,52 605,44 5,6.9, m!n, ,00 9,73,,30 0,00 / / y / ^ ^ ^ ał.ł c? ď / f jr Ж ^ jř У / jŕ / /' «' / У ŕ /' y <?*- * / ísṟ Quantities of other drug precursors seized or stopped , Total kg/l , & (? o*. / / ъ ^ ď ß.cł ď jř f / # ç/ # ŕ y./.cr 0 8

9 Number of cases: seizures and stopped shipments of the most 3b< sensitive drug precursors α Number of seizures and stopped shipments 39 OQ ///// Π rn U o J ', I I 1 1 1, 1 1, 1 1! 1 / t» T, /.< /V & v# ip Г& / ^ ^ φ J* jf я* i> ж ir x ' / ^,f iö / η.1» Number of cases: seizures and stopped shipments of other drug 140 precursors Number of seizures and slopped shipments "53" ts- 11 ď if /V ^ ' J ж Ж ^ P ^ ώ " f./ 4# r J ' Л-f ί> / У / 0 y ' / s s// / 9

10 Comparison Number of cases: seizures and stopped shipments of the most sensitive drug precursors 350 Ί п ft 10 ШЛ Ū У,/ «& ч6 0 чч-,0- ^ <8 <? J* < ď.0 ŕ N..(&,0? ŕ r <? <г # c ψ ^ сг ^ >9".X? ^ y / 5V no Comparison Number of cases: seizures and stopped shipments of other drug precursors оо ГШ o l j i I I '"Π"'! ΓΈΟ-, 1, ļ,, 1 Į η η Į J=î TIL // w / / 10

11 Examples of trafficking methods The pictures on the following pages illustrate some interesting examples of trafficking methods used in "Drug precursor trafficking via Road" Source: German Customs Source: German Customs 11

12 "Drug precursor trafficking via Air"

13 Production of heroin ACETIC ANHYDRIDE Usually used for production of cellulose, dyes, plastics and medicines. Illicitly used as a key precursor for heroin production. ι "Λ ( L needed to prepare 100kg heroin hydrochloride) H ( L for 100kg heroin hydrochloride) LÍU (301. for 100kg heroin hydtochìorirìo)

14 Production of cocaine f) 1 ( ( & ш v 1 У f t Ä \ŪK] V ì "N, У (30L for 100kg cocaine hydrochloride) POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE Largely used in the water/waste industry, leather industry, medicines. Illicitly used as an oxidizer in reaction with the plant coca to produce cocaine. lil π я L3 14

15 Production of methamphetamine and amphetamine NOREPHEDRINE (150kg for 100kg amphetamine sulphate or methamphetamine hydrochloride) 1-PHENYL-2-PR0PAN0NE (200L for 100kg amphetamine sulphate or methamphetamine hydrochloride) ΕΜΕΜΙΝΕ/ PSEUDOEPHEDRINE (150kg for 100kg amphetamine sulphate or methamphetamine hydrochloride) EPHEDRINE/PSEUDOEPHEDRINE Usually, used In the production of cough medicines, illicitly used as key precursors for the preparation of methamphetamine. TTDQØom^O ehlorldta [?[}Q S[pl}D [ľ Qú (p roűsi l}dd сгвоо Red [р(л] [р[л] (лзл PalladluBBa DQD ^^] Ä Ö Dil Ether [}DD [ľ í? [ľmjd Hydrlodle SKgØcal AMPHETAÜINE I АМРНЕТДМШЕ SULPHATE iethåiraetamini ì J i HYDROCHLORIC ACID METHâHPHETAMIMi HYDROCHLORIDE 15