Cocaine [merged]

[Invader Zim]

Coca Cultivation and Cocaine Processing:
An Overview
Executive Summary
Drug Enforcement Administration / Intelligence Division / Strategic Intelligence Section 1sep93

September 1993

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Two of the lesser understood aspects of the illicit cocaine traffic are the cultivation of the coca plant and the conversion of the coca leaf into cocaine hydrochloride (HCl). While the coca plant can be found throughout most of Latin America, varieties containing the cocaine alkaloid (the basis for cocaine HCl) are cultivated and converted primarily in Peru, Bolivia and Colombia.

There are two different species and several different varieties of coca plants which contain the cocaine alkaloid and these varieties prosper under quite different climatic conditions. At the same time, the methods used to cultivate and harvest coca leaf differ depending on climate, tradition, and other factors. The conversion of coca leaf into coca paste, cocaine base, and cocaine hydrochloride is also a varied process with many steps involved and many chemicals necessary.

THE COCA PLANT

It has been estimated that there are over 200 Erythroxylum species growing in the Western Hemisphere. Only 17 species can be utilized to produce cocaine. Fifteen of the 17 species contain relatively low levels of cocaine alkaloid and subsequently are not cultivated. In South America two species and two varieties within each of these species are cultivated. They are:

--E. coca Species

var. coca

var. ipadu

--E. novogranatense Species

var. novogranatense

var. truxillense

These varieties are traditionally cultivated in the following areas:

--Bolivia

E. coca var. coca

--Peru

E. coca var. coca

E. novogranatense var. truxillense

E. coca var. ipadu

--Colombia

E. novogranatense var. novogranatense

E. coca var. ipadu

E. novogranatense var. truxillense

The most widely grown variety of coca is E. coca var. coca which is cultivated on the eastern slope of the Andes from Bolivia in the south to as far north as central Ecuador. This area of the Andes has a tropical climate and experiences high amounts of rainfall. Coca in this region is usually grown between 1,650 and 4,950 feet in elevation.

E. novogranatense var. novogranatense thrives in the drier regions of Colombia and, to a lesser extent, Venezuela. It is also grown at lower elevations where the climate is generally hotter. The main variety of E.novogranatense, var. truxillense, is grown up to an elevation of 4,950 feet. The last variety, E. coca var. ipadu, is found in southern Colombia, northeastern Peru, and western Brazil in the Amazon basin. E. coca var. ipadu is primarily cultivated by Indians for their own consumption and is not as high in cocaine alkaloids as the other three.

It is not an easy task, even for an expert, to readily distinguish between the different varieties of coca plants. One of the ways to identify the variety is to look at the leaves. Both varieties of E. coca (E. coca var. coca and E. coca var. ipadu) have broadly elliptic leaves. The leaf of var. ipadu has a rounded apex, whereas the apex of var. coca is more pointed. The leaf of var. coca is large, thick and dark green in color. The leaf of E. novogranatense var. novogranatense is pale green with a rounded apex and is somewhat narrower and thinner than the leaf of var. ipadu and var.coca. E. novogranatense var. truxillense is very similar to var. novogranatense except that it does not possess the lines parallel to the central vein of the leaf that are characteristic to so many varieties of coca plant.

The cocaine alkaloid content of the E. coca and the E. novogranatense species also serves to distinguish between these species and the many other species of wild coca that grow in Latin America. These other species contain much lower levels of cocaine alkaloid. The usual cocaine alkaloid content of a sample of coca leaf material is between 0.1 and 0.8 percent. The cocaine alkaloid content can go much higher, however, as was shown in one sample of coca leaf from the Chapare region in Bolivia that measured 1.2 percent. Coca grown on the upper slopes of the Andes also contain more cocaine alkaloids than coca grown in low-lying areas. It is therefore believed that the best quality coca is grown at higher altitudes.

CULTIVATION

While methods of cultivating the coca plant are similar in many ways throughout Peru, Bolivia, and Colombia, there are differences in techniques because of terrain, tradition, and other factors.

Some coca plantations have been in existence for years. In other areas, however, such as Peru's Upper Huauaga Valley, new plantations are being established daily. A typical farmer who is preparing a field for coca will usually pick an area that slopes slightly so that water will not drown his plants. He will then begin clearing his field, normally by cutting trees and stumps and setting fire to the debris, a clearing method known as slash and bum. The felled trees are left in the field and the coca is simply planted around them. The farmer has no motivation to move the logs since there is no market for the timber. Logs are absent from the older fields because of rot or because the farmer gradually cleared his field.

Once the field is cleared for cultivation, the farmer can ready his crop for planting. The first step in cultivation generally begins with the seed. Seeds are usually gathered from December through March from plants ranging from two to three years in age. They are often poured into water at the onset to identify bad seeds, which will usually float to the top and are discarded. The good seeds are planted in small plots that are kept shaded from the sun.

Seeds are sown about two inches apart at a depth of approximately one half inch in humus enriched soil. These seedbeds are kept well watered and weeded frequently and the seeds will usually germinate within 20 to 30 days.

Sometimes the seeds are presoaked in water to hasten germination which will then occur in about ten days.

Seedlings usually reach transplanting size in about two months. At this age they are about 12 inches tall. While the measurements vary, seedlings generally are planted in holes about a foot deep and about one and-one-half feet from each other within rows about three feet apart.

Another popular method of establishing new fields of E. ipadu involves taking a cutting from an established coca bush and planting it in the ground. This method (cloning) is getting more popular as it gives the farmer a head start.

There are two methods of planting a cutting. One involves sticking several branches a couple of feet long into the ground. The other method is to cut three or four inch cuttings from a branch, each one with protruding smaller branches. The cutting is soaked in water a day or so and then planted in loose, fertile soil. It is reported that coca leaf can be harvested from these plants within six months and seeds develop on these plants after one year but the seeds lack embryos and are not viable.

A coca plant cultivated from seed will generally reach full maturity and its leaves harvested between 12 and 24 months after being transplanted. Even though coca growing in the wild has been known to reach heights of up to 30 feet, that which is cultivated is almost always pruned back to facilitate harvesting the coca leaf. Cultivated fields are usually kept at a height of three to six feet. All picking of coca leaf is done by hand. Harvesters have to be very quick in their work yet careful not to damage the leaf buds on the bush while stripping off the leaves. Leaves are said to be ready for harvest when they take on a yellowish tint and have a tendency to crack when bent.

Coca leaf can be harvested between two and six times per year depending on climatic conditions. Coca growing at lower altitudes will usually be harvested more often than coca growing at higher altitudes. The most abundant harvest, sometimes accounting for about half of the total yearly harvest, takes place after the rains in March. Subsequent harvests take place in June/July and November, the normal dry season in South America. Some harvesting, however, takes place all year round.

When the leaves are harvested, they are put in sacks and taken to a closed room and spread out on the floor. The next day, the leaves are taken to a flat area, where they are spread in thin layers on a tarpaulin in direct sunlight and left to dry. If there is a lot of sunshine and minimal cloud cover, the drying phase can be completed in six hours. During inclement weather, it takes much longer because at the first sign of rain the leaves are gathered up and taken into shelter. If a load of coca leaves is caught by a rainstorm during drying, it could ruin the whole load. This is because the leaves will ferment if the moisture goes over 14 percent. This tends to cause a breakdown of the cocaine alkaloids.

After the drying phase is completed, the coca leaves are swept into large piles and left for about three days before being taken to market and/or processing facilities. The weight of packaged leaves varies from the 100 pound "carga" in the Bolivian Chapare, to the 25 pound "arroba" in Peru's Upper Huallaga Valley. In Colombia, coca leaves are not usually sold; however, when dried coca leaves are sold, it is usually in packages of 25 pounds.

Peru

Peru, the world's largest source of coca, has both licit and illicit cultivation. Licit coca is cultivation by farmers registered with the National Coca Monopoly (ENACO). ENACO buys and sells it to retailers either for resale domestically, for chewing or for herbal tea, or for export to produce soft drink flavoring or pharmaceuticals. The 18,000 hectares that have been registered for licit coca cultivation are centered in the department of Cuzco.

Illicit coca cultivation occurs primarily in the Upper Huallaga Valley region of northern Peru including the departments of San Martin, Huanuco, and Ucayali. Other areas under cultivation include the valleys of La Convencion and Lares in the department of Cuzco, and the provinces of Huanta and La Mar along the Rio Apurimac in the department of Ayachucho. There are also smaller growing areas located in the departments of Puno and Pasco.

The Upper Huallaga Valley is a tropical area with a mild climate that receives an average of 12.44 feet of rain during the year. June through September is the dry season when the region gets very little rainfall. The mean annual temperature is 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Coca is usually grown here between 1,980 to 2,640 feet above sea level but is sometimes planted up to 6,270 feet in altitude. The soil in the Upper Huallaga Valley is well drained and rich in iron, an important element for all plant life.

The area surrounding Cuzco has an average rainfall of between 1.32 and 5.94 feet annually which usually falls between the months of October and April.

The average temperatures in this region are greater than 53 degrees Fahrenheit. Coca is generally grown between 2,409 and 4,257 feet above sea level. The soil is especially poor in iron content.

A semi-tropical climate with warm days and abundant rain fall, between 6.6 and 7.26 feet per annum, characterizes the Ayacucho area. Coca is usually grown on steep slopes which require terracing at an elevation of between 1,650 and 4,290 feet. Soils in this area are red and high in iron.

Bolivia

Bolivia is the world's second largest source of coca leaf. There is both licit and illicit coca cultivation occurring in this country as well. In mid-1988, a law became effective that made coca cultivation illegal in most of the country. The law also established legal, transitional, and illegal zones of cultivation and declared that 12,000 hectares of coca would be the amount grown to meet the traditional demand for coca.

There are roughly three main growing areas in Bolivia. The three areas are the Yungas de La Paz, the Chapare, and the Apolo. Coca cultivation in the Yungas de La Paz is located between the cities of Guanay and Inquisivi, northeast of La Paz on the eastern slope of the Andes. Cultivation in the Chapare occurs in the provinces of Carrasco, Chapare, and Arani in the department of Cochabamba, east of La Paz. The small area of Apolo is in the La Paz department north of the city of La Paz.

Nearly all the licit coca is grown in the traditional growing areas of the Yungas. The overwhelming amount of illicit coca is grown in the Chapare where it is estimated that about 75 percent of the country's coca crop is cultivated. The amount of coca grown in the Apolo is much less than in either of the two other areas.

Parts of the Yungas have been cultivated for hundreds of years. Coca is planted at between 4,800 and 6,000 feet in altitude on terraced fields, generally on steep slopes. Some of these fields have a slope of more than 45 degrees. The Yungas is characterized by a five-month rainy season that runs from December to April receiving about 4 feet of rainfall per year, followed by seven dry months. The soil content is poor, and this area has suffered severe erosion problems.

In the Chapare, the weather is continually wet and warm, with an annual rainfall averaging around 13 feet. The growing areas in this region are broad, low plains containing some hills. Coca is cultivated at between 660 and 1,650 feet above sea level where the temperature averages around 57 degrees Fahrenheit. The soil is clay based, rich alluvial (sediment deposited by flowing water).

The Apolo, located in La Paz department, is also a noteworthy coca-growing region of Bolivia. Coca in the Apolo region is often interplanted with coffee, a major crop in the area. Soil in the Apolo is not suited very well to coca; the longevity of a coca bush there is only from five to eight years. Coca plants in the Apolo are therefore constantly replaced.

Colombia

Colombia ranks third in worldwide coca leaf production with all cultivation being illicit. There is widespread cultivation in the eastern plains region of the Llanos which encompasses about one-half of Colombia. The heaviest areas of cultivation are located in the departments of Putumayo, Caqueta, Guaviare, and Vaupes. There is substantial expansion of the coca crop in the Bolivar department in the north-central area of Colombia as well as areas of cultivation in the south and southwest part of the country.

In the southern coca-growing region, the temperature averages between 49.5 and 52 degrees Fahrenheit and there is light rainfall. Coca is normally grown between 3,300 arid 6,600 feet above sea level. The soil in this region is iron rich; however, there is some erosion.

COCAINE PROCESSING

The conversion of coca leaves to coca paste, cocaine base, and cocaine hydrochloride occurs primarily in Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru. Peru and Bolivia are the primary locations for the conversion of leaf to coca paste and cocaine base, while Colombia is the primary location for the final conversion to cocaine hydrochloride. It is believed that both Peruvian and Bolivian traffickers have begun increasing their production of HCI in the last few years.

There are a number of chemicals and solvents which play vital roles in the processing of coca leaves to paste, base and HCI. Many of these chemicals are quite common; all are theoretically substitutable and all have legitimate uses making them difficult to control.

Coca processing can be broken down into three stages. The first is the conversion of the coca leaf into coca paste; this is almost always done very close to the coca fields to cut down on the transport of the coca leaves. The second phase is the conversion of coca paste into cocaine base. This step is usually omitted in Colombia and the process is taken straight through from paste to cocaine HCI. The final stage is conversion of base to HCI.

Coca Leaves to Coca Paste

The conversion of coca leaf into coca paste is accomplished in a coca paste pit, or "pozo. " A typical coca paste pit is a very crude structure located near the harvesting site and consists of only a very few items. Some paste pits have even been reported in peasants' houses. The paste pit is usually a hole in the ground, lined with thick, heavy plastic, or may even be a 55-gallon drum with the top cut out. Paste pits are often located near streams so that the processors will have a constant supply of fresh water, which is used in the first stage of processing. The process of converting leaves to paste usually takes a few days. Often, however, the leaves will be "worked" or "stomped" for only a few hours rendering less paste than if "worked" for several days. It is apparently sometimes more desirable to move the paste out than to get more paste per kilogram of coca leaf. Depending on the size of the pit and the amount of leaf, the whole process will require the energy of two to five workers.

The following recipe for coca paste is but one of many. Recipes will differ depending on where the laboratory is located. Some will opt not to use water in the first step and amounts and mixing times vary widely. However, this remains a good benchmark formula.

Step 1

The coca leaves are put in an above-ground container or in a plastic lined pit. An alkaline material (sodium carbonate) and water are added to the leaves. Here the alkaline material enables the cocaine alkaloid present in the leaf to be extracted into kerosene.

Step 2

A water immiscible solvent (kerosene) is added to water, solution, and leaves. The mixture is then agitated. Usually this is accomplished by having several people stomp on the leaves. The solvent acts to extract water insoluble cocaine alkaloids from the alkaline solution.

Step 3

Cocaine alkaloids and kerosene separate from water and leaves. The water and leaves are then drained off.

Step 4

Cocaine alkaloids are extracted from the kerosene into a dilute acid solution. Alkaline material (sodium carbonate) is added to the remaining solution which causes a precipitate to form . The acid and the water are drained off and the precipitate is filtered and dried to produce coca paste, a chunky, off-white to light brown, putty-like substance.

Coca Paste to Cocaine Base

The processing of coca paste into cocaine base is more complicated than paste production, requiring more sophisticated equipment and added skills. Cocaine base can be processed at the paste facility, but base laboratories may be located away from the cultivation zones. Usually the base laboratories are located near rivers or have a clandestine airstrip located in the vicinity to facilitate both the movement of coca paste into the base laboratory, but also the movement of cocaine base to cocaine HCl laboratories.

As with the paste recipes, the base recipes have many versions. This one is one of the more common and a continuation of the paste recipe.

Step 1

The coca paste is added to sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid and water. The paste is dissolved into the acid solution.

Step 2

Potassium permanganate is combined with water. This mixture is added to the coca paste and acid solution. Potassium permanganate is used in this step to extract other alkaloids and material that is undesired in the final product.

In particular, potassium permanganate is used to break down the alkaloid ciscinnamoylcocaine found in large concentrations in E. novogranatense varieties. If the coca paste has a high concentration of this alkaloid and potassium permanganate is not used, then crystallization of cocaine HCl will be very difficult.

Step 3

This mixture is allowed to stand for about six hours.

Step 4

The solution is filtered and the precipitate is discarded. Ammonia water is added to the filtered solution and another precipitate is formed.

Step 5

The liquid is drained from the solution and the remaining precipitate is usually dried with heating lamps. The resulting powder is cocaine base.

It is common in Colombia to skip the base stage of cocaine processing and go right from coca paste to cocaine HCl. This can be accomplished by eliminating the last part of step number four in coca paste processing and skipping to step number two of the cocaine base phase where the coca paste is added to the potassium permanganate solution.

Cocaine Base to Cocaine Hydrochloride (HCl)

The final stage of cocaine processing requires even more skill and equipment, and is much more dangerous than the previously mentioned steps. Unlike paste and base processing, cocaine HCl processing calls for expensive chemicals that are harder to find and often not manufactured in the processing country.

The HCl laboratory usually consists of several buildings including dormitories, eating facilities, an office, storage facilities, and the laboratory itself. Also usually found at HCl laboratories are communications operations, generators, filtering and drying equipment, and, more recently, chemical recycling facilities. The HCl laboratory will sometimes have direct access to an airstrip.

The following recipe is a continuation of the above two. At this point the methods of processing vary only slightly.

Step 1

Acetone or ether is added to dissolve the cocaine base and the solution is filtered to remove undesired material.

Step 2

Hydrochloric acid diluted in acetone or ether is added to the cocaine solution. The addition of the hydrochloric acid causes the cocaine to precipitate (crystallize) out of the solution as cocaine hydrochloride.

Step 3

The remaining acetone/ether solvent can be discarded or reused.

Step 4

Cocaine HCl is dried under heat lamps, laid out to dry with the aid of fans, or dried in microwave ovens.

NATURAL ENEMIES AND ERADICATION EFFORTS

Although the coca bush is a very strong plant and will live for many years and produce many harvests of leaf, it will do better if taken care of, fertilized, and treated with herbicides and insecticides.

Occasionally, a coca field will become infested with one of the plant's natural enemies. The main pests and the effect that they are known to have on the plant are discussed below.

The larvae of the moth Eloria Noyesi presents the most serious threat to the coca plant. This moth lives through out the coca-growing region of South America and seems to feed almost exclusively on E. coca. It has also been recorded feeding on E. novogranatense in Colombia and northern Peru. The larva will develop in about a month and will eat up to 50 leaves in its lifetime. The larva will also eat the shoots of the bush that grow out after harvest. If Eloria attacks a plant repeatedly, even a strong plant will die. The moth is usually only abundant from December to April. Coca growers are using insecticides to eradicate Eloria.

The larvae of Eucleodora Coca, a fly, seems to cause harm only to Trujillo coca. (There have been major infestations of this insect in the past usually occuring from April to August.) The larvae spend their entire lives on the plant, feeding on the leaves and shoots . As with the Eloria, Eucleodora is being controlled with insecticides.

Very little is known about the effect of the leaf-cutting ant, Acromyrmex, on coca. Growers in the Upper Huallaga Valley report that serious damage in the past has been done to their coca cultivation. The damage is often controlled with the use of insecticides and flooding. The beetle, Aegoidus Pacificus, also poses a threat to Trujillo coca. The adult beetle lays her eggs in the bark of the coca plant, and the larva later burrows into the stem of the plant. This usually results in an infestation of pathogenic fungi which is ultimately responsible for the death of the coca plant. As with the other pests, the beetle can also be controlled with insecticides.

Most of the other insects which attack coca only do so when there are shortages of their normal food supply. Some scientists believe that cocaine and other alkaloids may present some natural defense against most pests. Nevertheless, sometimes insects such as spider mites, grasshoppers, leafhoppers, and beetles find it necessary to eat coca.

The coca plant is also susceptible to numerous species of pathogenic fungi. Fungi seem to present the greatest threat to a plant during the wet season. The most serious threat seems to come from a fungus called "witches broom ." The exact effect of this fungus on the coca plant is not clear because of the limited amount of study which has been done on this fungus infesting coca plantations.

Natural enemies hold hope for control of the coca plant in the future. At present, however, the most successful methods in controlling the growth of coca are herbicides and manual eradication.

As of early 1990, all eradication of the coca plant in Bolivia and Colombia was being done manually. The usual method has been for a team of eradication workers to go into a field and pull up the bushes plant by plant. In Peru, manual eradication of coca is often suspended because of security reasons. Prior to that time, a number of gasoline-powered cutters had been supplied to the workers making it easier and much quicker to cut the coca. The problem with this method is that sometimes the coca bush will sprout from the stump within 12 to 18 months. As such, the cutting must be made very close to the ground to insure that the plant does not sprout again.

A number of herbicides have been tested for use in eradicating the coca plant including hexazinone and tebuthiuron (spike) . Application of both has been deemed successful in killing the plant as long as they are applied in the correct manner and amount. Within ten to twenty days after application of hexazinone or tebuthiuron the coca bush sheds all its leaves and usually within 60 to 90 days the coca plant will be completely dead.

The United States is working with some South American governments to develop an herbicidal eradication program; Bolivia, however, has prohibited the use of herbicides for this purpose.

originally from : http://www.mellowgold.com/Coca-Culti...rocessing.html

[Invader Zim]

not exactly sure why this is in fungi (was late and tired when posted) but if it could get moved to botanicals that'd be awsome

[Hippie3]

seems like a nice place for this pic-

[phalanx]

I snorted a load of coke last night. I rarely take it and it was my biggest dose yet. It always feels like a waste of money. Half the buzz for me is the novelty of using it. The physical effects dont seem any better than alcohol. I don't think I will bother with it again.

I don't like waking up with my nose all crusty, ugh! My nose and upper teeth went numb. I liked the first few lines but after that I didn't seem to get any higher. I only seemed to maintain the original buzz. I should have quit while I was ahead.

[Hippie3]

it's only good when it's free.
and then, it's too good.

so, who wants to send me some seed?

[riderb]

yea coca is no bueno in my opinion just last friday it kept me up ALL night (was bueno coca) i totally agree i would much rather just drink than get all cracked out cause by the time it gets to the end consumer its never in the same damn form that it left who wants to snort paint thinner?

[vrooota]

ahhh but everyone loves free blow. Its funny to talk shit about coke to the guy who has it until he's like 'no this shit is raw, here try some' and then you can go ehhh... I've had better, I couldn't buy that shit. IMO thats the only fun way to use blow, unless you have a pussy of course, than you can get more than one or two free lines

yeah, vaginas are mystical...

[Lazlo]

Good grief! If I had that much coke in Hip's pic in my posession, you guys wouldn't here from me for years. I'd be TIGHTENED UP! lol!

I'd prolly be stuck in a closet or under a bed for a while. Or tree frog'in it peeping out the blinds.

[ExtraKryspi]

I just mixed up about a hundred grams worth of ground, dry coca leaf, about 15oz of water, about 30oz kerosene and 2 tablespoons of sodium carbonate. Put in about an hour and a half of stirring, capped it, and stashed it to sit the night. Tomorrow afternoon I will have coca paste. I need to pick up some potassium permanganate to get rid of the trans- and cis-cinnamoylcocaines which make it difficult for the cocaine hydrochloride to precipitate at the end of the whole process. Then I can make the base, then the hydrochloride.

Will provide pictures when I get the chance.

[Apprenticeofall]

With 1oo gr of dry leaves is really difficult to obtain some yield.

[golly]

Looking forward to your experience...keep us posted EK....

[ExtraKryspi]

Originally Posted by Apprenticeofall

With 1oo gr of dry leaves is really difficult to obtain some yield.

This is the trial run, I've got much more in stock. But I should still get around a gram from this, minimum 80% pure, so that's not bad for a trial run.

i sometimes wish i could just walk into a store and buy
coca leaves and take them home and extract them...
have fun mang...i'm lookin forward to see what happens with
this..

[waylitjim]

Cool, plz take some pics.

[beardedlady]

Where the hell would one get coca leaves for an extraction like this?

[ExtraKryspi]

The place I use is:
comprasperu.com


I will take pictures of the mixture tonight and more as I progress. I also hope to catch at least part of the final coc. HCl precipitation on film because it's supposed to be spectacular.

[Hippie3]

hotlink removed.

[beardedlady]

Originally Posted by ExtraKryspi

The place I use is:
comprasperu.com


I will take pictures of the mixture tonight and more as I progress. I also hope to catch at least part of the final coc. HCl precipitation on film because it's supposed to be spectacular.

So would it be easier/preferable to start with a ground leaf powder, or whole leaf? Know of a link that shows full production from leave to HCI?

In school they always showed videos, of nighttime footage, tons of guys jumping and sloshing around in the leaf mixture.

[waylitjim]

http://www.mellowgold.com/Coca-Culti...rocessing.html

[beardedlady]

Originally Posted by waylitjim

From http://www.mellowgold.com/Coca-Culti...rocessing.html

Thanks waylit, I didn't realize it was also listed at the bottom of the page as a related post.

This is very interesting, and seemingly very easy. Similiar to all of the other alkaloid extractions.

[ExtraKryspi]

So would it be easier/preferable to start with a ground leaf powder, or whole leaf?

The more surface area the better.

Here's the link for a more detailed explanation of the process:
http://www.erowid.org/archive/rhodiu...roduction.html

i love this thread..

[beardedlady]

Me too.

[TheAngryGolfer]

Originally Posted by beardedlady

Thanks waylit, I didn't realize it was also listed at the bottom of the page as a related post.

This is very interesting, and seemingly very easy. Similiar to all of the other alkaloid extractions.

yea, because thats all it is, an alkoloid extraction

But my issue with this is: Aren't coca leaves illegal? MHRB and cactus products are not illegal and can be purchased from retailers in the US, as well as imported yourself.

I'm not aware of any US vendors who sell coca leaf. I think you could get in serious shit for importing it.

[beardedlady]

Originally Posted by TheAngryGolfer

yea, because thats all it is, an alkoloid extraction

But my issue with this is: Aren't coca leaves illegal? MHRB and cactus products are not illegal and can be purchased from retailers in the US, as well as imported yourself.

I'm not aware of any US vendors who sell coca leaf. I think you could get in serious shit for importing it.

Erowid Coca Vault:

Erythroxylon coca --

"Coca leaves and extracts of coca leaves are both Schedule II in the United States. This means they are illegal to sell without a DEA license and illegal to buy or possess without a license or prescription."

So...my guess would be that it's probably illegal to import.

[myceliod]

: ( What a bummer.. not suprised though...

[beardedlady]

So, I got in touch with Compras Peru, and done a little more research, and I've got news.

According to Erowid, and several other places, the plant that is scheduled is E. coca. The plant material sold by Compras Peru is of the E. novogranatense. Obviously they look so similiar that I'm sure if you were telling everyone about your "cocaine plant" you'd get arrested for it.

However, looking at the Schedule II Controlled Substances list, they don't list a species. They list all "Coca Leaves" as being illegal.

Conflicting information. Hope this helps someone.

[hogwild]

glorious supposed loopholes in the system. Good luck trying to explain to the dea that its a different strain, i like where your coming from on that one though.

[ExtraKryspi]

It's illegal no matter what the species, and if you check out the FDA website (or somesuch) you'll find a customs notice from 1986 about "Inka tea" and it being coca leaf. I've ordered it multiple times without problems, though, and since every time has been 1kg or less I really think they'd just seize it. Whatever, so far so good. If not, I was just drinking it as tea.

But I'm afraid I just fucked up my first rushed and amateur extraction attempt. I jumped the gun on filtering out the plant matter, didn't do a very good job of separating the organic and aqueous layers, and added way too much sodium carbonate in my vain attempt to precipitate the coca paste. That was because I added too much acid earlier and it was taking a lot of sodium carbonate to neutralize it all, so I was pouring it in too fast. Oh well. I saved the bulk of the plant matter so I can reuse it, get whatever's left out of it. I need to do more than one hundred grams worth of leaf at a time - considering ordering another kilogram. I also need to set up a good straining/pressing system.

One more thing: in most of the guides it has you using sulfuric acid in the coca paste process, but I was using hydrochloric. It didn't seem to me like that should prove problematic, but it could have contributed to the problem, I don't know. Thoughts?

Also, if someone has some potassium permanganate just sort of hanging around, could I get some of that? I don't need that much, I'll cover shipping and all that. That's proving difficult to find and I'm about to resort to ebay but before I do that I figured I'd ask.

[Foster]

Wow, you order a kg of leaves. in the mail? u got balls the size of my head!!! I did see a site linked off lycaeum, i think, where you can order seeds. No way LEO would recognize the thirty ft tall coca bush in the yard, eh. hehe. could they be grown in N.A? how would it affect alkaline content? altitude bein much lower(unless ur in colorado or somthin.) good luck and PLS B SAFE! some of those chems can have some nasty reactions when incorrectly used. not to mention the chem burn it would put on your skin. oh yeh BTW, i saw a movie on night flight bout 20 yrs ago called "kings of white" pretty cool, and fairly recent on PBS a nova maybe, about the native people, cocaleros, and their whole govt( not one of which is a native of the area) really interesting.Cant remember its name though srry . I do remember they said anyone there found with kerosene,diesel,andcement(yes they add portland cement) gets busted. The old flick shows a dog drinking from a big vat of leaves/mix and falls in. only to be stirred up and ate away by thee chems. ya never know when you are snortin a little labrador or sheppard eh?lol peace, pfost

[ExtraKryspi]

I feel like it ought to be possible for me to have a modest coca plantation somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. I would like very much to get a chance to test that hypothesis.

[Foster]

oh yeah, HIP BTW I saw that pic in amag, but I thought the article was on opm and heron and that was the insignia of the taliban? I could be wrong though as allthe mags pics seem to run together( at least in my mind) and i did read an article on coc and us eradication efforts with crop dusters and herbicide. Of course the USGov denied it! supposedly it was killin mor than just plants. STILL an awesome pic! Keep us posted EK. great stuff! peace pfost----------------------a modest plantation! wouldnt that be the shit!! cool man very cool!

[beardedlady]

Originally Posted by ExtraKryspi

It's illegal no matter what the species, and if you check out the FDA website (or somesuch) you'll find a customs notice from 1986 about "Inka tea" and it being coca leaf. I've ordered it multiple times without problems, though, and since every time has been 1kg or less I really think they'd just seize it. Whatever, so far so good. If not, I was just drinking it as tea.

I feel that a kilo of leaves, in all honesty, wouldn't be that big of a deal. It seems with the best possible extraction results, at 1.2% alkaloid content, you'd get 12 grams of cocaine. Not likely. I think the lowest report I saw for alkaloid content was .3% ... so you'd extract 3 grams. Obviously it'll fall somewhere in between, but as far as importing cocaine goes...it's not a lot, and it's work to get to the end product.

Originally Posted by ExtraKryspi

One more thing: in most of the guides it has you using sulfuric acid in the coca paste process, but I was using hydrochloric. It didn't seem to me like that should prove problematic, but it could have contributed to the problem, I don't know. Thoughts?

It shouldn't be a problem either way, some of the stuff I read during research said you could use either hci or sulfuric acid. It's really just to acidify the water to aid in extraction of the plant material.

Originally Posted by ExtraKryspi

Also, if someone has some potassium permanganate just sort of hanging around, could I get some of that? I don't need that much, I'll cover shipping and all that. That's proving difficult to find and I'm about to resort to ebay but before I do that I figured I'd ask.

Potassium permanganate is used in the production of methacathinone also, I hear someone looking for it could pick it up at Home Depot, it's used to recharge water filtration devices, or something like that. Or maybe the local pet store ...

http://www.pondcrisis.com/a_potassiumpermanganate.html

[ExtraKryspi]

I feel that a kilo of leaves, in all honesty, wouldn't be that big of a deal. It seems with the best possible extraction results, at 1.2% alkaloid content, you'd get 12 grams of cocaine. Not likely. I think the lowest report I saw for alkaloid content was .3% ... so you'd extract 3 grams. Obviously it'll fall somewhere in between, but as far as importing cocaine goes...it's not a lot, and it's work to get to the end product.

Yeah, it would probably be somewhere around a quarter of an ounce, give or take, 80+% pure. Not a ridiculous amount but enough to last myself and friends for some time, and certainly enough to make for some good times. The price is right, too.

It shouldn't be a problem either way, some of the stuff I read during research said you could use either hci or sulfuric acid. It's really just to acidify the water to aid in extraction of the plant material.

Word.

Potassium permanganate is used in the production of methacathinone also, I hear someone looking for it could pick it up at Home Depot, it's used to recharge water filtration devices, or something like that. Or maybe the local pet store ...

I knew I could find it at Home Depot, I must not have looked hard enough. I also can try hardware stores and pool supply stores. If I don't have some by next weekend I'll get it off the internet.

[beardedlady]

Originally Posted by ExtraKryspi

I knew I could find it at Home Depot, I must not have looked hard enough. I also can try hardware stores and pool supply stores. If I don't have some by next weekend I'll get it off the internet.

"It is also known as "permanganate of potash", "Potassium Salt" and "Condy's crystals". The permanganate acts as a strong oxidizing agent.

High-grade potassium permanganate can be found at pool supply stores and is used in rural areas to remove iron and hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg smell) from well water."

That's from Wikipedia.

very informative guys...

[beardedlady]

Kryspi, is this the first time you've done the extraction, or have you done it before? If you've done it, I'm curious as to your average yield from the plant matter you get. I'm actually more curious about alkaloid content levels from the plant, but I can figure that part out.

You can buy these seeds, and the seeds aren't specifically listed as scheduled, just the leaves (as far as I understand...). Get a few baby plants going indoors, and you can make cuttings...

[ExtraKryspi]

Originally Posted by beardedlady

Kryspi, is this the first time you've done the extraction, or have you done it before? If you've done it, I'm curious as to your average yield from the plant matter you get. I'm actually more curious about alkaloid content levels from the plant, but I can figure that part out.

You can buy these seeds, and the seeds aren't specifically listed as scheduled, just the leaves (as far as I understand...). Get a few baby plants going indoors, and you can make cuttings...

Yes, this is the first time I've done it. I found the coca tea online about six months ago and have only just gotten the free time necessary to try it.

Where can I buy the seeds? I would be very interested in that, though I'm afraid my current climate could prove far from suitable (about 40 degrees north, eastern seaboard). Still worth a shot and I will move to a more hospitable region when I can.

Also, anybody know some good brands for potassium permanganate?

[Invader Zim]

seeds are key!

[beardedlady]

Originally Posted by ExtraKryspi

Yes, this is the first time I've done it. I found the coca tea online about six months ago and have only just gotten the free time necessary to try it.

Where can I buy the seeds? I would be very interested in that, though I'm afraid my current climate could prove far from suitable (about 40 degrees north, eastern seaboard). Still worth a shot and I will move to a more hospitable region when I can.

Also, anybody know some good brands for potassium permanganate?

E-mail your vendor selling the tea, and ask if they have any fresh seeds. I think germination rate is about 70-80%.

Grow a few plants indoors, maybe?

[ExtraKryspi]

I'm going to be a freshman at college away from home, and the chances of me staying put long enough for the coca to properly mature are minimal. That's a good idea though, for when I do get a chance. It takes something like three or four years for it to attain the proper maturity, I believe.

[Apprenticeofall]

if you use 1kg of dry leave and you realise the process perfect you will obtain 4-5 gr of aprox. 80% pure cocaine

http://www.angelfire.com/planet/dbotany/ for erythroxylon novogranatense var novogranatense seeds
http://groups.msn.com/mundomamacoca/_homepage.msnw for erythroxylon novogranatense var truxillense seeds
http://cocagrowers.org/ for erythroxylon coca seeds and plants

The three are really good providers,I am not relationed with they,but I can confirm that because some people that I know bought seeds in this sites.In this sites you have a lot of information about this plant,too.

,but one plant yield 30gr of dry leaves at year or 120gr if you climate is the best posible(27C all year),and you need 3 years to the plant are ready to take the leaves,and the growing of this plant is not easy out of his climate.you need 100 plants for 15gr at year of cocaine.For me grown this plant out of his climate is a lost of time,die at 7-8C,and you need a lot of space(indoor is not possible for yield),if you have a climate where the temperature are more of 15C all the year the grown is possible outdoor,but you will need a lot of space for put a rentable yield plants.But if you like the plants you can take some seeds and growing in your house a few plants ,and chewing the leaves and presume to have the coca plant.For bussiness FORGET THAT,for the way I tell that coca leaves are illegal and you can have a lot the problems if in the border identify that.

[Apprenticeofall]

I lived in Peru and I see the process(only to coca leaves to coca base,is the usual process in Peru),I see the grown of this plant for 5 years,cuttings,seeds,the form of chewing that and more,the information that I put is correct,no doubt.

[ExtraKryspi]

That is what I like to hear, the voice of Truth. Tell me, do you know how many coca plants are typically grown per hectare? And is temperature the most important factor to consider in finding a place to grow coca? Do you know enough about the climate and whatnot of the United States to venture any guesses as to possible places where coca would grow?

That said, I wouldn't mind tending to one hundred coca plants for fifteen grams of cocaine a year.

[Apprenticeofall]

yes,the temperature is the problem,no other
the answer is easy,I explain that before,you need one place that the temperature don,t down to 10C all year,the plant grown between 18C to 29C ,over 29 grown very slow ,under 10 can die and less of 4C die sure.

""That said, I wouldn't mind tending to one hundred coca plants for fifteen grams of cocaine a year""

sorry but that is the reality,that is other great great great problem,every hectare in Peru can have over 15000-20000 plants,and one hectare give 800 kg of fresh leaves=200 of dry leaves=1kg of cocaine for crop,in USA you only can expect one crop for year.
you see 100 plants=over 7gr in Peru the plant grown over 50 cm for take the leaves better,you can leave the plant grown 1 m and you have more leaves ,then 100 plants =over 15 gr at year,you see a lot of work and money for nothing.
you have that very very difficult really,is for that that you not see this plant in other places,is not profitable,you need good climate all year,you need a lot of plants and is illegal,if you find the good climate place,how you hide that in USA?

[ExtraKryspi]

I'd be doing this mainly for personal pleasure so I wouldn't have an excessive amount of plants around. If you can fit 15000 plants per hectare in Peru, then it sounds like I'd really only want or need about a hectare, which isn't really that much land. It wouldn't be a big problem to hide. I doubt they even look for coca in the States and since it would be for myself and close friends, no need to worry about outsiders. California and environs would probably be my best option for location... maybe somewhere on the southeast like Mississippi or Florida but even there the temperature can drop too low, although I could probably adopt techniques used for growing fruit and whatnot. I have a lot more research to do, though.

Thanks for those websites; that dbotany one is very helpful and thorough.