Chapter 4 Precursors of concern in South Asia

Chapter 4
Precursors of concern in South Asia

Of the 23 precursors listed , the following precursors are of special concern in South Asia.

Acetic anhydride
This chemical is widely used in textile processing, dyes and pharmaceutical industry. Since textiles and textile dyes are a major industry in South Asia, consumption of acetic anhydride is indispensable. In the pharmaceutical industry, the biggest consumption of acetic anhydride is in the manufacture of the common anti-pyretics aspirin and paracetamol.
Acetic anhydride is used illicitly for the manufacture of amphetamine-type stimulants, heroin and methaqualone (commonly known as mandrax). South Asia is flanked by two of the world's largest illicit opium growing regions of the world. The opium so produced is processed into heroin. Acetic anhydride is not produced in neither of the two regions and hence traffickers divert heroin from other regions, including south Asia and smuggle it into these regions.
Some of the world's largest methaqualone seizures during the past few years were made in India and in almost all cases, acetic anhydride was diverted and used to produce methaqualone.

Anthranilic acid
Anthranilic acid is also legally used in pharmaceutical and textile industries. Illegal drug manufacturers use it to produce methaqualone (mandrax). Typically, this precursor is diverted and used to manufacture mandrax within India. The methaqualone so produced is largely smuggled to South Africa and onwards to other countries in Africa which form the bulk of the market for methaqualone.

Ephedrine and pseudo ephedrine
Ephedrine and pseudo ephedrine have similar chemical structure. Both are used legally to produce anti-asthmatic drugs - bronchodilators and nasal decongestants. Both are illegally used to produce the amphetamine type stimulant (ATS), methamphetamine. Two of the world's largest producers of ephedrine are India and China. China extracts ephedrine from an herb, ephedra, while India produces synthetic ephedrine from molasses - a by-product of sugar factories. Ephedrine and pseudo ephedrine diverted from India and China are often smuggled into Myanmar and used for illicit production of methamphetamine. The bulk of the methamphetamine so produced is smuggled into Thailand and onwards to the rest of the world.