FORENSIC MEASUREMENT OF DRUG

DR. NADEEM ISHAQUE KHAN (PhD GERMANY)

 Outline

• Definition of forensic drug measurement

• Contemporaray techniques for drug measurement

• List of Drugs needs forensic detection

• Structural organs of PFSA (Punjab Forensic Science Agency)

• Importance of such drug measurement

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 Definition

• Identification and quantifiaction of drugs

- Application of scientific methods and techniques to the investigation of

crime

- Once drugs are detected through screening i.e. Spot test kits
(immunoassays,samples sent to labs for further confirmatory analysis

- Marquis reagent (mixture of formaldehyde and concentrared sulphuric

acids) simple spot test to identify alkaloids and other compounds

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 Contemporary techniques/instruments
Method/Techniques Substances identify/measured
Ease of use and time required for
results
• Ultravoilet (UV) Most common drugs of abuse Basic-intermediate Minutes
Spectroscopy
• Spot/color tests -Do- -Do-
Crsytalline state test Several Intermediate-Advanced
• DSC Minutes
• Polarized Microscopy
• Thin-Layer Most common drugs of abuse Basic-intermediate Minutes
Chromatography (TLC) Novel psychoactive substance
• X-Ray Crsytalline (Solids) Advanced-expert (minutes to
Diffraction/Diffractometry hours)
• Infrared Spectroscopy Virtually any Basic-advanced depending on
(FTIR) model (minutes)
• Mass Spectroscopy Virtually any Basic-advanced depending on
• Raman Spectroscopy Virtually any model (minutes)

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 List of drugs leads of forensic evidences

Device Agency Range of drugs detected

• LC-MS (Liquid Forensic Science Agency Lab Accurate masses of
Chromatography/time of Punjab compounds
flight mass Drug Testing Labortary Lahore
spectrometery)
• GC-MS (Gas Forensic Science Agency Lab Accurate masses of
Chromatography Mass Punjab compounds
spectrometery)
• Handheld portable Raman ANF Detect drugs in Narcotic
• Spectrometer Anti Narcotics Force Range

Drugs uses
Morphine,codien, theobain
Cocain,Ampetaphines, LSD (Lysergic Abuse
acid diethylamide)
Cathinones,Heroin,fentanyl
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 Structural organs of PFSA

Name of the Units Functioning

Computer forensic unit Provides mobile and digital forensic solution

DNA and Serology Nucleotide and Nitorgen bases anaysis,ELISA, NAT

Narcotics Both natural and synthetic by Handheld Raman Regaku (ANF)

Latent Finger Print Deals with identification of a person with finger prints NADRA

Pathology and polygraph Evaluation of area of affected organ and multiple options

Questioned Document Wills, Cheques Bank, Drafts Agreements, Receipts,

Identity Theft Forgeries, Ink stamps

Trace Chemistry At biological level Cofactors for many enzymes

Toxicology Toxicity of any poison and organ pathology etc

Crime and Death Scene Nature and cause of death

Forensic Photography To establish evidnce in the court of law 6

 Importance of such drug measurement

• Latin Mexim (Justice delayed is justice denied)

• Beyound any reasonable shadow of doubt→ then court convict the

accused

• To bring to justice the hard core criminals

• To ensure fair play during criminal trail in the court of law

• Detect the crime scene of old cases and help to fix the offenders

• Ensure due right of a person under process of law

• By reducing crime to bring harmony in the society

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 Illegal and legal Pharmaceutical evidence in
Criminal investigation

• Criminal investigation → Authorities

- Drugs Inspector

- FIA (Fedearl Investigation Agency)

- Investigation Departemnt of Punjab Police (CrPC 1867)

• Cases undergoes criminal investigation under Drug Act 1976

- Manufacturing/sale of Spurious drugs

- Manufacturing/sale of Un-registered drugs

- Manufacturing of drugs without Drug manufacturing licence issued from

DRAP
• Any other Quality case/Non-quality cases

- Drug sample declared (Sub-standard, Misbanded,Counterfeit) by DTL report

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 Evidence during case investigation by investigating
Authority

• Investigate the Warranty of drug (2-A Form) under Drug Act 1976

• Call in person in his office to explain the facts regarding case and submitt his
statement in writting

• Raid/inspect or ask to inspect premises in jurisdiction of other inspector if

desired in corroborating any fact in the case

• Make the documents if any of the case record and lauched the case in the drug
Court after completion of investigation and recording statements of the
delinquents in the case
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 Illegal and legal Pharmaceutical evidence

• Facts which helps directly or indirectly in proving case is known as

Evidence in QSO 1864 (Qanone Shahadat Ordinance)
• Legal Pharmaceutical Evidence

- Any document issued by any Statory Regulatory Bodies in the Country e.g any official
Notification
- DTL Report where durg decrlared Sub-standard/Spurious etc
- The Case property produced by drug inspector in the drug court
- Details (Names and addresses) of directors, production, Quality Control and
regulatory officers of the Pharmaceutical firm
- Evidence of Govt Analyst and Secreatry DQCB/PQCB where case to allowed and
grant permission for prosecution
- Evidence of Drugs inspector and his auxillary staff as witness on Form No 4 and Form
No 5
- Evidence of anyother Authority/Agency or drug inspector on Form No 4 and Form No
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 Illegal Pharmaceutical evidence

• Any fact/document declared by any statute of law or court of law not purporting to be
evidence will be illegal Evidence

• It has no weightage in eyes of law, it has no impact on proceedings of case or

decesion thereof

• Heresay Evidence is no evidence in court of law

• Drug declared Sub-standard/misbranded/counterfeit/supurious as per formulating

statute will be illegal pharmaceutical evidence in other pharmaceutical statute
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 Trail of the case in Drug Court
Drug Court
(Chairman + 2 Technical Members)

Frame of Charge → Confession by accused→ (fine+imprisonment) or denial of charge →

owness of proof lies on the prosecution→presentation of witnesses → cross examine by defense
lawyer → Discussion
Defense side
Prosecution side
- Will engage private lawyer
- ADPP and DPO
- He/she will provided copy of each
- Ask witnesses to submitt statements
document in the acussed file submitted
if presented by defense lawyer and
in court
cross examine by ADPP and DPO
- Entitled to move acquittel u/s 265K of
- Leading question
Cr.PC 1896 at any stage of case
- Cross examination of witnesses
- Cross examination of prosecution
witnesses
 Final Verdict/Judgement by Court → Appeal lies in High Court 12
 Pharmaceutical Product Tempernig

• Pharmaceutical producttempering means

- Any alteration in lable claim, (D.R No, Specifications BP/USP/BPC)

- False Pak registration No etc

- Design or outer appearance of the pharmaceutical product

- So as to deceive the general public

- It is liable to be prosecuted under Drug Act 1976 or rules framed there under

- provision of Counterfeit drug/Imitation product

• Pharmaceutical Tempering by two ways
- Outer appearnce and specifications etc

- Internal tempering by modifying the formulation

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 Pharmaceutical Product Tempernig

• Internal tempering by modifying the formulation

- Necessary excipients (name or their propotion)

- Change of source of API

- Change in mixing propotion of thereof

- Not followed the necessary satbility studies data for 1-3-6-12 months,ICH
guidlines
• Objective of Pharmaceutical Tempering
- 80% cases of Pharmaceutical tempering includes the Counterfeit drugs

- Capture the economic share of other well reputed/renowed product

- Attempt to damage the fame of the good manufacturer

- It is usually done by other manufacturer/importer etc 14

 Pharmaceutical Product Tempernig

• Punishable
- It is also laible to be prosecuted under Civil Procedure Code

- law of tort or compensation claim/Civil suits for damages etc in civil courts

- Tilte or product monogram is regisred under Companys Ordinace

- Drug Act 1976 or rules framed thereunder read with Pakistan Penal Code

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 Use of Drugs/Alcohol in car accidents

• Drugs which are commonly misused

- Morphine and its deratives including heroin

- Synthetic pentazcine nalbuphine tramadol all others

- Cannabis (terahydrocannabinol), Marijuana, cocain, Methamphetamine

- Synthetic anxiolytics (benzodiazepines) community

• Alcohol (Ethyl alcohol)

- Mixed with methanol (denaturing of alcohol)

- Poisoning and treatment with backing soda NaHCO3

• Drug Addiction
- Tachphylaxis and tolerance
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 Use of Drugs/Alcohol in car accidents

• Two types of impacts/Hazards

- Social
- Moral
• Rehabilitation Centres
- At Public Hospitals P&HD
- Control of poverty and provide employment to the youth
-

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 Professional malpractice

 At public level
• Compromise on the quality of drug
- At manufacturing level
- At testing level→ N/A testing facility
- At deccision making level
- At storage and Sale points
 At private level
- Quackery
• Non-availibility of Q.P at point of sale
- Pharmacist
- Dispensor →misuse of whole sale licence
- Pharmacy technician→dealing with schedule G drugs
- Misuse of drug sale licence Licnece No 40-41 W/O Q.P
- ↑ drug misuse in public (Narcotics & Antibiotics) → Economical& health
hazards
- At pharmaceutical manufacturing level 18
 Quackery and health care fraud

• Legislation ton control Quackery

- Intially no legislation→DDHOs inspect→challan at magistrate court

- Drug Act 1976→ drug inspector w/o DSL w/o warranty etc

- Punjab Healthcare commission Act 2010

- Fine and appeal in session court/high court

- Anti quackery Regulations

• Consequences of quackery
- ↑ prevelance of hepatitis → ↑ B and C

- Other communicable diseases

- Resistance in antibiotics → b/c use broad spectrum antibiotics

- Frequent use of steroidal drugs

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 Quackery and health care fraud

• Fraud under PPC 1860

- Whoever does anything with the intention of causing wrongful gain to one
person or wrongful loss to another person, is said to do that thing
"dishonestly". 25. "Fraudulently". A person is said to do ,a thing fraudulently if
he does that thing with intent to defraud but not otherwise
• Ingredients of section 25
- Wrongful gain from the patient

- Wrong loss to some person

• Quackery as healthcare fraud

- Wrongful gain from patient →loss of patient health

- Deciving or consealing of facts

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 Quackery and health care fraud

• Suggestions to curb this Menace

- Heavy fines imposed to the accuseds

- ↑Sentence →Life imprisonment

- Control of whole sale of drugs→Not sale drugs to quacks from point of sales

- Public awareness with some slogan like DANGER

- Incourage masses/public to visit public Hospitals

- Adequate Medical facilities in Public Hospitals

- Public awreness not to rent out shops to Quacks

- Encourage public to complain to DI/Police Officer if some quacks start

shop/practice in the town

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