Coca leaves are taken to remote cocaine
processing labs like this small one
located in the Putumayo jungle. Photo: Garry Leech
The coca leaves are soaked in water, sodium
bicarbonate and kerosene. The liquid and acid is
then drained leaving a light brown coca paste. Photo: Garry Leech
. The
coca paste is dissolved in hydrochloric or
sulphuric acid. Potassium permanganate mixed
with water is added to the paste and acid solution. Photo: Garry Leech
. The
solution is filtered and the remaining precipitate is
discarded. Ammonia water is added to the filtered
solution and another precipitate is formed. Photo: Garry Leech
. The liquid is drained and the remaining
precipitate
is heated, dried and broken up into small pieces. Photo: Garry Leech
. The resulting powder is called cocaine
base
and is 90 percent pure cocaine. Photo: Garry Leech
The
cocaine base is weighed and bagged for
shipping to another lab where hydrochloric acid
diluted in acetone or ether will be added to
crystallize the cocaine and create the final
product called cocaine hydrochloride. Photo: Garry Leech
These
six packages weigh almost four kilos. After
the final stage of processing turns it into cocaine
hydrochloride, drug traffickers will ship the
cocaine to the United States. Photo: Garry Leech
