Crime Scene Training

Synthetic vs. Natural Substances

By: Jack Thorndike, NARK News 

All of our most popular original controlled substances came from plant materials. These included: poppies to heroin; coca plants to cocaine; and marijuana plants for THC. All of these substances proved easy to legislate since you couldn’t alter opiates, cocaine or THC.

This scene changed with the introduction of synthetics. Going back almost twenty years we saw the introduction of our first popular synthetic, methamphetamine. This quickly followed with the introduction of MDMA (Ecstasy) from Europe. A number of years went by before the latest synthetics were brought forward, synthetic cannabinoids (K2, spice) and synthetic stimulants (bath salts).

What is different from the natural to the synthetic substances? The natural group contained the substance in the plant material. In the case of opiates and cocaine it required chemistry to refine the substance for use, but the product itself was obtained from a natural source. In the case of the

synthetics, the entire process was done in a laboratory using chemistry. This significant difference is what creates all of the problems today in determining what you have and what chemical formulation.

Synthetic Terms

The two terms most commonly used with synthetics and ones you must understand are precursor and analog. By definition the two words are described as follows:

Precursor: One that precedes and indicates or announces someone or something to come.

Analog: A structural derivative of a parent compound. Dealing with our first synthetic substance, everyone is accustomed to the word precursor. We know that in order to manufacture

methamphetamine, we must first start with either ephedrine or pseudoephedrine (announces

something to come). It is a synthetic substance since we use no base natural product. In the case of methamphetamine we are converting the chemical structure of these precursors into a new chemical structure.

In the case of all of the remaining synthetics, we start with base formulas and make a specific formula of that synthetic substance; MDMA; cannabinoids; or stimulants.

To best describe synthetic cannabinoids and stimulants we have set out the following FAQ section to help with these Substances: 

Stimulants (Bath Salts)

Q. What are bath salts?

A. A street name only for synthetic stimulants sometimes referred to as either synthetic cocaine or methamphetamine.

Q. What is a synthetic substance?

A. A substance that is made from a chemistry set.

Q. Why use the name “bath salts”?

A. In order to sell the product over the counter as an innocuous product.

Q. Are there other “street names” associated with synthetic stimulants?

A. Yes, similarly to “bath salts” which are sold in foil packages or small round plastic containers, these same containers may be known as; plant feed; screen cleaner; or glass cleaner. Recently the product has also transformed into being sold in bindles (small paper bundles folded into a closure) which they commonly refer to as “mollies”.

Q. What form do synthetic stimulants take?

A. Usually a white to light tan powder.

Q. How is the substance used?

A. The most common method is to snort, however, it can also be injected, swallowed or smoked.

Q. How long does the high last?

A. Usually between 3 to 6 hours. However, the true dangers are some of the after effects of the substance.

Q. What do the references to MDPV, Methylone and Mephedrone refer to?

A. Being a synthetic substance, there is no one specific formulation. You can make multiple formulations depending on the precursors you start with. From there, you can make any number of additional formulations (referred to as analogs) which require the slightest change in any of the original formulas. However, all of these analog formulas can be traced back to one of the three original substance bases of MDPV, Methylone or Mephedrone.

Q. Has DEA and the Federal Government reacted to synthetic stimulants?

A. Yes, on October 21st, 2011, the DEA passed emergency legislation making the synthetic stimulants of MDPV, Methylone and Mephedrone a Schedule 1 substance under the federal Controlled Substance Act (CSA).

Q. How does the federal scheduling effect state and local jurisdictions?

A. It doesn’t. All the federal statute means is it is against the “federal law” to buy, possess or sell any other synthetic stimulants. Each specific state within the country would still need to address synthetic stimulants in their own CSA in order for law enforcement to charge for this substance.

Q. Is one base formulation of these stimulants more popular than another?

A. Yes. Currently almost 80% of the synthetic stimulants on the street are based on the MDPV or Methylone formulations. The remaining ones are based on the Mephedrone product.

Q. Is there currently an approved field test for the synthetic stimulants?

A. Yes. Unlike the “natural products” where it is simple to identify the specific substance to color react, these multiple formulations make it necessary to offer two (2) specific field tests to properly determine the substance. In most instances officers will only need to use one (1) of these tests to determine if they in fact have a synthetic stimulant. Officers should use the #NARK20024

MDPV-Methylone Reagent initially. If the officer receives a distinct Yellow or Yellow/Green color reaction immediately, stop testing. You have presumptively identified one of two substances, MDPV or Methylone. If the color reaction within the MDPV/Methylone Reagent was either Clear or any other color (not Yellow or Yellow/ Green), proceed to the #NARK20025

Mephedrone Reagent. This is a two (2) ampoule field test. The color developed after breakage and agitation of the 1st ampoule can be disregarded. The breakage and agitation of the 2nd

ampoule will develop an immediate Purple color. This reaction will presumptively identify the base substance of Mephedrone.

Q. Was independent testing conducted on the “Bath Salt Reagents” prior to their release?

A. Yes. Both tests were submitted to the Commonwealth of Virginia, Division of Forensic Science (DFS) for testing. The Virginia DFS was chosen because not only do we receive written confirmation the field tests passed their testing, but they also publish the results in the Virginia Registry. This registry is designed to announce to all law enforcement in Virginia that specific presumptive field tests have been tested and passed. No field test can be utilized to bind through preliminary hearings until DFS has conducted their independent testing.

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Finding Latent Fingerprints on Wet Surfaces-How and When to Use Small Particle Reagent

How CSIs process wet surfaces for latent fingerprints.

It had rained for more than 5 hours when an observant police patrol officer found the car believed to have been used in an armed robbery. The vehicle’s description, color and license tag all match the radio bulletin broadcast earlier during the “graveyard shift.” The vehicle had also been reported stolen the day before.

In short order, the crime scene investigation team arrives at the scene and makes a quick visual survey of the vehicle’s exterior. Of particular interest are areas that may have been touched by the previous occupants. Using flashlights held at different angles, the CSIs examine the exterior for possible latent prints. They may or may not see any. After all, latent print defined means one that is not readily visible.

Processing for latent prints throughout the vehicle’s interior will be a routine matter, but the exterior poses a particular problem—it is soaking wet, and a constant drizzle continues to fall.

Latent fingerprint developing powders are generally the first choice for investigators working crime scenes, and in this case, vehicular crime scenes. To process areas of the exterior, the crime scene technician will apply a specially formulated powder using either a fiberglass filament or animal (camel or squirrel) hair brush. But using this dry powder on a wet surface will only result in a mess—and any fingerprint ridge detail will be obliterated.

The investigators are left with just two options:

1. Wait until it stops raining and allow the vehicle to dry out, or
2. Find some other means to process the vehicle for latent prints despite the rain

For Option 2. above, many CSI teams will employ a formulation that has become known as Small Particle Reagent or simply SPR.

Unlike many other latent print development chemicals such as Silver Nitrate and Ninhydrin, which originally had other scientific uses, SPR resulted from specific research and experimentation into finding a means of developing latent prints on wet surfaces.

The original SPR formula consisted of a very finely ground black powder—Molybdenum disulfide, along with a liquid detergent and water. This mixture, when sprayed on a vertical or near-vertical surface, tends to run downward. If latent prints are present, the liquid-suspended black powder will attach itself to the moisture residue of latent prints, thus making the ridge structure of the print plainly visible.

SPR Dark works fine on light colored surfaces but is of little value if the surface is painted black. What researchers came up with next was a formula using finely milled white powder—Titanium dioxide—and the same water-detergent mixture. SPR Light and SPR Dark are found in many crime scene investigation kits.

In recent years, a third formula was developed that will aid in latent print recovery from multicolored backgrounds. This mixture is fluorescent—it glows in the dark when longwave UV light is applied. Like its counterparts, SPR UV employs the same detergent-water carrier.

SPR UV then fills an apparent void in formulations providing the CSI with enough variety to cover most wet surface conditions.

Application of a SPR formula is simple-it is applied using a spray bottle. The mixture is sprayed onto the surface above the area suspected of containing latent prints, and it is allowed to run down across the surface. The solution also lends itself to tray development.

While its primary purpose is latent print recovery on wet surfaces, it may be used on virtually non-porous surface—wet or dry.

Once latent prints are developed, they must be immediately photographed, as they are quite fragile and when wet, they may be very difficult to lift using tape, hinge-lifters, etc.

 

Resourcefulness resulted in the discovery of SPR. Researchers saw a need and took the logical steps to meet it. To learn more about how forensic science uses existing processes as well as inventing new ones in the war against crime, please visit the many other sections in this blog. Use the navigation window to the right labeled Categories.

 

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