Internally Concealed Cocaine: Analytical and Diagnostic Aspects

• NCJ Number: 158065
• Journal: Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 40 Issue: 5 Dated: (September 1995) Pages: 811-815
• Author(s): M J Bogusz; H Althoff; M Erkens; R Maier; R Hofmann
• Date Published: 1995
• Length: 5 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study compared the diagnostic reliability of urine and saliva immunoassay, as checked against an x-ray examination, for the detection of internally concealed cocaine; subjects were 27 persons arrested in Germany for smuggling cocaine in 1993-1994.

Abstract

While the x-ray examination showed positive results in all cases, the EMIT cocaine metabolite assay was positive in only 8 samples; 11 samples were later classified as positive when the cutoff score was reduced. All saliva samples showed negative immunochemical results. The number of concealed containers carried per person ranged from 44 to 135. There was a distinct interpersonal variability in drug packages, in terms of number of protective layers used, size, weight, and cocaine purity. 2 figures, 4 tables, and 18 references