Development of a methamphetamine chemical profiling program in Quebec, Canada for use in an intelligence perspective

Area of Science:

• Forensic Chemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Criminalistics

Background:

• Methamphetamine tablet production and trafficking pose significant challenges to law enforcement.
• Effective forensic tools are crucial for understanding drug supply chains and linking criminal activities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate a novel chemical profiling method for seized methamphetamine tablets.
• To establish a comprehensive database for methamphetamine analysis in Quebec, Canada.
• To support investigations into methamphetamine production and trafficking networks.

Main Methods:

• Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) was employed for sample analysis.
• Twelve key impurities were identified to determine the chemical class of methamphetamine.
• Data preprocessing involved normalization and square root transformation, followed by Manhattan distance calculation to compare sample populations.

Main Results:

• The developed method demonstrated high efficiency in discriminating between linked and unlinked methamphetamine tablet samples.
• A robust database of methamphetamine profiles, including purity, chemical class, and cutting agents, was successfully established.
• The methodology shows strong potential for identifying connections between criminal cases.

Conclusions:

• The chemical profiling technique provides a valuable tool for forensic investigations in Quebec.
• Systematic application of this method can enhance intelligence gathering on illicit drug activities.
• Further research is needed to fully elucidate its capacity in mapping drug production and distribution networks.