Precursor Chemicals & Drugs

Precursor Chemicals & Drug Charges

Pennsylvania Drug Crimes Defense Lawyer

"Precursor chemical" or "precursor drug" is a law enforcement term used to describe a chemical used in the manufacture or synthesis of controlled substances. For example, ephedrine (a legal drug) can be used to manufacture methamphetamine, so ephedrine would be considered a precursor.

Precursor chemicals have legitimate commercial uses, but the federal government has placed restrictions on their purchase and sale because they have the potential to be used in the manufacture of designer drugs, club drugs, or processing of other illegal drugs.

Federal sting operations carried out by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) under the Chemical Diversion and Trafficking Act (CDTA) have resulted in arrests of:

• People buying precursor chemicals over the Internet in larger amounts than allowed by law
• People buying smaller amounts of these chemicals, under the limits of reporting requirements, but buying too frequently (called "smurfing”)
• Pharmaceutical or chemical company employees selling chemicals without proper information gathering or reporting
• Chemical brokers who help buyers find chemical sellers, possibly the owners of Web sites
• Truckers or others who transport the chemicals

The maximum penalty for acquiring a precursor chemical is 20 years in prison, in addition to penalties a person may be facing for drug manufacturing and distribution of a controlled substance.

Protecting Your Rights if You've Been Charged with Possession of Precursor Chemicals

If you're facing state or federal drug charges for possession, sale, or transport of a precursor drug, you need an attorney who knows the ropes, with a track record of success. Contact a Philadelphia drug defense lawyer at Patrick Artur & Associates. Put 30 years of dedicated criminal defense experience on your side.