Forensic chemistry: the importance of preliminary tests performed in drug seizures in the Picos-Pi region

Abstract

Drugs of abuse, such as cocaine, crack and marijuana, cause various harms, ranging from health problems to users, violence, risks to public safety and even early death of individuals involved in drug trafficking. Therefore, there is a need for public policies that aim to prevent/reduce the circulation of these illicit substances and identify the individuals who sell them. In this context, preliminary tests act as an excellent tool for identifying the aforementioned drugs of abuse, as they are quick, practical, efficient and provide true results. The central objective of this work is to highlight the importance of preliminary tests in drug seizures (cocaine, crack and marijuana) in the Picos region, as well as to address their efficiency. In the Scott test, the cobalt thiocyanate/crack or cobalt thiocyanate/cocaine complex was formed, for both cocaine and crack, thus indicating the presence of these narcotics in the sample, through the appearance of the blue color, the Fast Blue test B. was able to identify marijuana, a fact proven by the appearance of a purple-red color, which appears as a result of the reaction between the fast blue salt and the phenolic compounds present in the vegetable. From this perspective, it can be said that the Scott and Fast Blue B. tests are efficient and reliable tests for identifying the types of drugs of abuse mentioned above.