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DIRECTORATE-GENERAL ENTERPRISE AND INDUSTRY

EUROPEAN COMMISSION

DIRECTORATE-GENERALTAXATION AND CUSTOMS UNION

Summary Report on EU Drug Precursors Seizures 2006

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Foreword

Illicit drugs pose a serious threat to European Citizens and Society. We need to tackle this threat at all points. Illicit drug producers need precursor chemicals to manufacture their dangerous products. A very important means of preventing drug production is to cut off the flow of these essential ingredients to criminals. In the European Union we have strong legislation enforced by Member States which has enabled us to prevent the misuse of these substances. This involves not only close co-operation between the different government agencies but also with the private sector. This summary report provides a brief overview of the key information relating to results of the implementation of the legislation in the form of statistics on seizures/stopped shipments. Heinz Zourek Robert Verrue

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EU 2006 DRUG PRECURSOR SEIZURES

Precursor chemicals are required to make illegal drugs such as cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and methamphetamines. Their licit international movement is controlled by international conventions and at the Community level under Council Regulation (EC) No 111 /2005 managed by DG Taxation and Customs Union (TAXUD) and Regulation (EC) No 273/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council managed by DG Enterprise and Industry (ENTR) for intra-Community movements. The Community is recognised as being a major producer of Amphetamine-type-stimulants (ATS) and imports illegally considerable quantities of precursors. The scale of the problem is immense. The EU's seizures in 2006 for just two key precursors1 for making synthetic drugs are equivalent to the production of more than € 2,5 billion of drugs at today's street values2. The key synthetic drug precursors which are misused to make synthetic drugs are mostly sourced outside the Community. Precursors are often produced under conditions which are very difficult to control. There is a high risk of unauthorised exports of precursor chemicals subsequently trafficked out of the countries of production by using unusual and complex routings to disguise their origin. The EU precursor legislation revised in 2004 and 2005 to step up against illegal imports and precursor trafficking into the Community requires from the Member States a trimestrial report of the seizures. This allows the Commission to better survey the evolution and track trends in the illegal diversion of drug precursors. Co-operation with the private sector has proven to be an effective means to detect suspicious transactions at an early stage. The amended Customs Code provisions allow for Common Risk border management against these high risk consignments. However, traffickers are moving forward quickly constantly changing their diversion patterns and further action needs to be taken to stop this dangerous traffic. The attached report contains more detailed information on the situation. For further information: Klaus Berend E-mail: Klaus.Berend@ec.europa.eu

John Pulford E-mail: John.Pulford@ec.europa.eu

Eric Liégeois E-mail: Eric.Liegeois@ec.europa.eu

Suzanne Stauffer E-mail: Suzanne.Stauffer@ec.europa.eu

Website: http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/chemicals/legislation/precursors/index_en.htm http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/customs/customs_controls/drugs_precursors/index_en.htm

1 PMK and BMK used to manufacture ecstasy and methamphetamine/amphetamine 2 Based on UN figures

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Table of contents

The scale of the problem 5

EU 2006 Drug Precursors statistics reveal 6

Key drug precursors – number of seizures/stopped shipments 7

Key precursors – quantities of seizures/stopped shipments 8

Bulk substances – number of seizures/stopped shipments 9

Non-scheduled substances – number of seizures/stopped shipments 9

Other substances (bulk and non-scheduled substances) – quantities of seizures/stopped shipments 10

Examples of trafficking methods 11

Explanatory notes 15

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Scale of the Problem

• 1 litre of 3,4 Methylenedioxyphenylpropan 2 one (PMK) (normally used in the production of perfume components) can yield more than 10 000 ecstasy pills, which can be sold for more than 100 000 euros •1 litre of 1 Phenyl 2 propanone (BMK) (normally used in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry) can yield up to 50 000 street doses of amphetamine, which can be sold for more than 800 000 euros. •1 kg of Ephedrine (normally used in the production of cough medicines) can yield up to 20 000 street doses of methamphetamine, which can be sold for more than 400 000 euros.

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• 16 cases of "BMK" – More than 2000 litres were stopped or seized which can yield up to 100 million amphetamine street doses and, if sold on the black market, would represent more than 900 million euros. • 19 cases of ephedrines – More than 7 tons of ephedrines were seized or stopped, which can yield more than 140 million street doses, and if sold on the black market would represent more than 1,9 billion euros. •According to the UNDOC Word Drug Report 2007, Europe remains the main ecstasy production area and the majority of amphetamine seized world wide comes from European Union Member States. • Significant quantities of precursors for producing heroin and cocaine continue to be stopped/seized at EU borders

2006 EU Drug Precursor Statistics show:

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16

1413

7

5 5

2 21 1 1 1 1

0 0 0 00

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

1 PHENYL 2 PROPANONE [BMK]

EPHEDRINEAcetic anhydride

Potassium permanganate

Phenylacetic acid

PSEUDOEPHEDRINE

3,4 Methylenedioxyphenyl propan 2 one

PiperidineAnthranilic acid

IsosafroleLysergic acidPiperonalSassafras oilEphedraErgometrineN-Acetylanthranilic acid

Safrole

Key drug precursors - number of cases

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5572

20072000

501147

10571

547

20,1

0,010,01

00

00

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

EPHEDRINE (kg)

1 PHENYL 2 PROPANONE (l) [BMK]

PSEUDOEPHEDRINE (kg)

Phenylacetic acid (kg)

Acetic anhydride (l)

3,4 Methylenedioxyphenyl propan 2 one (l)

Potassium permanganate (kg)

Piperidine (kg)

Sassafras oil (l)

Anthranilic acid (kg)

Piperonal (kg)

Lysergic acid (kg)

Isosafrole (l)Ephedra (kg)Ergometrine (kg)

N-Acetylanthranilic acid (kg)

Safrole (l)

Key drug precursors - quantities

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32

20

1614

12

6

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Hydrochloric acid

Toluene

Sulphuric acid

Acetone

Methylethylketone (MEK)

Ethyl ether

Bulk substances - number of cases

51

64 4

2 2 1 1

60

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Preparations (E)

Gamma Butyrolactone

Methylamine

Red Phosphorus

Benzaldehyde

Formamide

1,4 Butanediol

Preparations (PSE)

others

Non-scheduled substances - number of cases

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2485567

2312374

8341812

432419

398200

6951

64,5

0,50,02

0

500000

1000000

1500000

2000000

2500000

Methylethylketone (MEK) (l)

Toluene (l)Acetone (l)Preparations E (kg)

Hydrochloric acid (l)

Gamma Butyrolactone (l)

Sulphuric acid (l)Red Phosphorus (kg)

Methylamine (l)Ethyl ether (l)Formamide (l)Benzaldehyde (l)1,4 Butanediol (l)Preparations (PSE) (kg)

Other substances (bulk and non-scheduled substances) - quantities

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Examples for trafficking methods: "Drug precursor trafficking via Road"

29

Smuggling via road

Source: Danish Customs Precursors en route via the Eastern land frontier were detected in pipes built into a lorry.

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"Precursor trafficking via Post"

Source: Danish Customs

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"Trafficking of ephedrine tablets into the EU via road"

Source: Slovak Customs

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"Drug precursors trafficked via sea."

Source: Dutch Customs/FIOD/ECD Precursors en route from South East Asia to Rotterdam, Customs detected (liquid) hidden inside the heating element of a soup heater.

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Explanatory Notes:

What is the rationale for these statistics? According to the Community drug precursor legislation, EU Member States report seizures and stopped shipments of drug precursors on a trimestrial basis. This obligation has been introduced in August 2005. The following terms/abbreviations are used in this brochure: 3,4-Methylenedioxyphenylpropan-2-one : Key precursor to produce ecstasy, also referred to as PMK 1-phenyl-2-propanone Key precursor to produce amphetamine, also referred to as BMK Ephedrine/Pseudo-ephedrine Key precursors to produce methamphetamine Seizures/Stopped shipments Consignments are either seized or export is denied (shipment stopped) by the authority issuing the export license in case of doubts about the licit purposes of the transaction. Key precursors: Chemical substances that are essential for the drug manufacture Bulk substances: Chemical substances traded in large quantities with common and wide licit uses for example sulphuric or hydrochloric acid Scheduled substances Currently 23 substances are under legislative control (covering both key precursors such as PMK and BMK but also hydrochloric acid). Non-scheduled substances Chemical substances subject to voluntary monitoring via the EU Voluntary Monitoring List.

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Further information:

• Council Regulation (EC) No 111/2005 sets down Community wide rules on the control and monitoring of trade in drug precursors between the EU and third countries

• Regulation (EC) No 273/2004 sets out Community wide rules on the control of intra-Community movements of drug

precursors

• Commission Regulation (EC) No 1277/2005 which sets out implementing rules. • The United Nations Convention against illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances 1988 sets out the

international legal basis of the Community rules.