title: Geographically Sourcing Cocaine's Origin - Delineation of the Nineteen Major Coca Growing Regions in South America.
abstract: Previously, geo-sourcing to five major coca growing regions within South America was accomplished. However, the expansion of coca cultivation throughout South America made sub-regional origin determinations increasingly difficult. The former methodology was recently enhanced with additional stable isotope analyses ((2)H and (18)O) to fully characterize cocaine due to the varying environmental conditions in which the coca was grown. An improved data analysis method was implemented with the combination of machine learning and multivariate statistical analysis methods to provide further partitioning between growing regions. Here, we show how the combination of trace cocaine alkaloids, stable isotopes, and multivariate statistical analyses can be used to classify illicit cocaine as originating from one of 19 growing regions within South America. The data obtained through this approach can be used to describe current coca cultivation and production trends, highlight trafficking routes, as well as identify new coca growing regions.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Special Testing and Research Laboratory, Dulles, VA 20166 USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Mallette
authors.affiliation: U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Special Testing and Research Laboratory, Dulles, VA 20166 USA.
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Casale
authors.affiliation: National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, Springfield, VA 20150 USA.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.affiliation: U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Special Testing and Research Laboratory, Dulles, VA 20166 USA.
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Morello
authors.affiliation: U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Intelligence Division, Arlington, VA 22202 USA.
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Beyer
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D003041:Coca / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development; D003903:Deuterium / Q000032:analysis*; D000069550:Machine Learning; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D010103:Oxygen Isotopes / Q000032:analysis*; D058974:Phylogeography; D013020:South America
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D010103:Oxygen Isotopes; D003903:Deuterium