Clandestine

Methamphetamine
Laboratories
Basic Overview
What is
methamphetamine?
 A powerful central nervous system
stimulant
 Schedule II controlled substance
 Psychologically addictive
 Most methamphetamine encountered is
of illicit origin
 Also known as: crank, speed, meth
Why methamphetamine?
 Comparable in price  Comparable in price
to cocaine to methamphetamine
 “high” lasts 8-12  “high” lasts 1-2 hours
hours (or longer) (or 15-20 minutes for
 Anyone can make it crack)
 Cocaine has to be
“imported” ( limited
distribution)
Methods of ingestion

 Snorted (most popular method)

 Smoked
 Intravenous injections (usually chronic
addicts)
 eaten
Methods of
Methamphetamine
Production
 Red phosphorous method
 “Nazi” or Birch method
 P2P (biker) method
Red Phosphorous Method

 Synthesis consists of “cooking”

pseudoephedrine with red phosphorous
and iodine crystals in order to produce
methamphetamine in solution.
 Hydriodic Acid (HI) or Hypophosphoric
acid can be substituted for iodine crystals
Red Phosphorous Method
(continued)

 After cook, methamphetamine in solution is

mixed with sodium hydroxide (lye) to neutralize
the acidity and an organic solvent (Coleman
fuel) to separate the D-methamphetamine from
aqueous solution
 Methamphetamine is then “gassed” with HCL
gas and “falls” out of solution
 Methamphetamine is then “washed” then dried.
“Red-P” Method
Phenyl-2-Propanone (P2P)
Method
 Classic “Biker gang” method
 No pseudoephedrine used in the
methamphetamine synthesis
 Knowledge of chemistry more crucial
 Phenylacetic acid (PAA) , phenyl-2-
propanone (P-2-P) and acetic anhydride
(AA) used in this method.
 Generally produce low (50%) yields
“P-2-P” Method:
Anhydrous (Nazi) Method

 Referred to as anhydrous, “Nazi” or Birch

method
 As with “red-p” method, relies on
conversion of pseudoephedrine to
methamphetamine
 Generally considered the “cleanest” and
most efficient method (highest average
yields)
Essential Elements for
Nazi Method
 Pseudoephedrine (cold tablets)
 Lithium or sodium metal ( batteries)
 Denatured alcohol (Heet engine additive)
 Anhydrous ammonia
 Sodium hydroxide (lye)
 Hydrochloric acid (HCL) or sulfuric acid
(H2SO4)
 Organic solvents
 Rock Salt or table salt
Anhydrous Ammonia

 Obtained illicitly from agricultural areas

 Placed in compressed gas containers
 Used
Nazi method (Essential
elements)
 Pseudoephedrine
from tablets
Nazi Method Synthesis:
 Pseudoephedrine is
extracted from
tablets in denatured
alcohol
 Pseudoephedrine in
alcohol solution is
removed and alcohol
is evaporated off
over a heat source
Nazi Method (continued)

 Lithium metal is harvested from

batteries/wire or sodium metal is obtained
 Lithium metal combined with
pseudoephedrine
 Lithium metal/pseudoephedrine
combination mixed with anhydrous
ammonia.
Nazi Method Synthesis
(continued)
 Anhydrous reacts with lithium
metal/pseudoephedrine combination,
turns mixture dark blue in color
 Ammonia evaporates, mixture returns to
a whitish color
 Water is added to mixture, quenches
reaction, sodium hydroxide (lye) and
methamphetamine base are produced
Nazi Method Synthesis
(continued)
 Mixture containing
methamphetamine
base and aqueous
solution added to
ether or another
organic solvent,
creating separated
layers (solvent/meth
on top, water on
bottom)
Nazi Method Synthesis
(continued)
 Solution containing
d-methamphetamine
dissolved in organic
solvent is siphoned
off of the aqueous
solution
Nazi Method Synthesis
(continued)
Methamphetamine in
the solvent is
“gassed” with HCL
gas created in a
generator filled with
rock salt and
hydrochloric acid
(muriatic acid)
Nazi Method Synthesis
(completed)

 Methamphetamine solid is then removed from solution

by evaporating solvent or filtering it out.
 Methamphetamine is then “washed” of impurities with
acetone, then dried, often with heat lamps