Commerce in drugs and chemicals and the detection of clandestine laboratories

There were 225 clandestine laboratories seized in the United States of America in 1982, an increase of 23 per cent over 1981. These laboratories most commonly produced methamphetamines, phencyclidine (PCP), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), amphetamine and methaqualone. In order to determine whether a seized drug has been clandestinely manufactured and to identify the source of the drug, special techniques are used, involving detailed physical and chemical examinations. The results of such examinations are computerized and compared with reference samples to provide indications of the drug source. Undercover techniques are also effectively used for the detection of clandestine laboratories. Chemicals necessary for the illegal production of drugs of abuse were often diverted from legitimate sources through international commerce, which, together with clandestine laboratories, are recognized as an international problem that requires monitoring through international co-operation.