Schwag Report

DEA February 2008

The DEA Southwest Laboratory (Vista, California) recently received a multi-part exhibit of plant material, consisting of one intact, tape-wrapped plastic package and 10 core samples, all suspected marijuana (total net mass approximately 300 grams). The package and core samples were selected from 21 such packages seized from within a truck tire by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel in Andrade, California (about 150 miles east of San Diego). Upon opening the intact package, a live 7.62 millimeter rifle round was discovered within the plant material (see Photo 1). The package was subsequently X-rayed, and three other live rounds were discovered, including another 7.62 round and two 7.65 millimeter handgun rounds (see Photo 2). Analysis of the plant material by microscopy, Duquenois-Levine, and TLC confirmed marijuana (THC not quantitated). X-ray screening of the other 20 packages (by ICE personnel) revealed an additional 12 rounds in those exhibits (distribution and types not provided). This is the first instance of ammunition discovered within marijuana at the Southwest Laboratory.