Amphetamine Paste

Q - Has anybody come across a marketing ploy whereby amphetamine sulphate is cut and solvents (or something) are added in order to produce a substance resembling amphetamine paste? Could there be other possible explanations for a 'beige' paste of less than 0.5% purity? I am also looking for costing data on normal paste, e.g. 100gm deals.

A - We were recently involved in a case involving amphetamine which had the appearance of Asian cannabis resin (dark brown resinous appearance) at about 3-4% purity.

In most other cases paste has involved amphetamine of higher purity (20+%), commonly known as 'base', which sells in small or large quantities for about 50-100% more than the same amount of street quality material. A majority of amphetamine users in our surveys are familiar with, and had used or bought, 'base' at some time.

According to Home Office/FSS statistics, the average purity of seized amphetamine has increased 3-fold over the past 5 years, and has nearly recovered to the levels of the early 1980s.

Responses

1 Tayside Police

According to our local drug enforcement squad, base amphetamine is usually about 1% pure. Although they have never heard it cut with solvents, it is not out of the realms of possibility.

They normally come in 1Kg deals, thereafter down in metric deals, 9oz, etc. They have never heard of 100gms deals. The cost is about £3000 for 1kg, but your 100gm deal when cut could cost about £500.

2. Sheffield Area Health Authority staff member

Your dark paste sounds like a form of Amphetamine which was around, under the name of 'Toffee', in the Welsh valleys about a year ago. Staff at TEDS, a street drugs agency, may be able to tell you more. Contact 01443 203344.