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Drug Intelligence BriefTRIPPIN' ON TRYPTAMINES
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Tablets
of 5-MeO-DIPT (Foxy) seized by the Naval Criminal Investigative
Service (NCIS) in Washington State
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The synthetic substances, 5-MeO-DIPT, known by the street name “Foxy” or “Foxy Methoxy,” and alpha-methyltryptamine (AMT), are being reported as new drugs of abuse in limited areas of the United States. These substances, which produce hallucinogenic effects, are part of a class of chemical compounds known as tryptamines. Since 2001, law enforcement authorities in Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, New Jersey, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia have seized many samples of AMT and Foxy. Although Foxy and AMT are relatively new drugs of abuse, the abuse of tryptamines is not a new phenomenon in the United States. In fact, the appearance of Foxy and AMT are indicative of a trend where many non-controlled synthetic substances are sold to capitalize on the current popularity of club drugs, especially MDMA. Foxy and AMT are not currently listed as controlled substances in the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (CSA); however, the DEA has determined that individuals and organizations trafficking these substances with the intent of human consumption can be prosecuted under the federal drug-analog statute.
Background
psilocybin
(O-phosphoryl-4-hydroxy-N, N-ethyltryptamine) |
Many analogs of a class of tryptamines are hallucinogenic substances that exist naturally in some plants, fungi, and animals, but also can be produced synthetically. These hallucinogens have been placed in Schedule I of the CSA. These substances include psilocybin, psilocyn, bufotenine, alpha-ethyltryptamine, diethyltryptamine, and dimethyltryptamine. There are numerous types of tryptamines available, including AMT and Foxy, that are not listed under the CSA. In addition to recent seizures of AMT and Foxy, law enforcement authorities have seized other non-controlled tryptamines, such as 5-MeO-DMT, over the past 2 years.
Abuse and Availability
There have been limited reports of abuse of AMT and Foxy, sometimes at raves and clubs, in Arizona, California, Florida, and New York. According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), reports of teens and young adults using these substances are emerging. The FDLE reports that AMT is now a popular designer drug in South Florida, although no seizures have occurred. In the August 2001 edition of DEA Microgram, the DEA Southwest Laboratory in San Diego reported that Foxy has been seen at clubs in Los Angeles and New York City.
Many tryptamines can be obtained from chemical companies in the United States and overseas, usually via the Internet. On May 2, 2001, two individuals attempted to enter Canada at the Blaine, Washington, Peace Arch port of entry with approximately 1 pound of 5-MeO-DMT powder in their vehicle. The chemical was purchased via the Internet from a chemical company in Naperville, Illinois. AMT, 5-MeO-DIPT, and other non-controlled tryptamine compounds are also available from companies and individuals advertising via the Internet. Prices for these substances are relatively cheap with 500 milligrams (mg) of AMT or 5-MeO-DIPT powder selling for between $80 and $145.
In March 2002, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) arrested three men in Norfolk, Virginia, for conspiracy to manufacture and distribute Foxy and AMT. The men were in possession of over 200 grams of 98-percent pure Foxy with 22 pounds of cutting agents. It was estimated that the group would have been able to produce between 9,000 and 14,000 tablets. This estimate was based on the purity of 1,000 tablets previously seized from this group. In addition to the seizures of Foxy, authorities also seized 535 AMT tablets.
On December 29, 2001, the DEA Washington Field Division seized a polydrug laboratory containing chemicals associated with the production of AMT from an apartment in Northwest Washington, DC. A search of the apartment also revealed numerous chemicals, including AMT, and literature on how to manufacture it. The subject, a 55-year-old free-lance journalist, was charged with attempted unlawful manufacture of a Schedule I controlled substance analog. Seized evidence revealed that the subject purchased chemicals through the mail.
Effects
Users of tryptamines typically experience a multitude of effects. These effects include hallucinations, euphoria, dilated pupils, empathy, visual and auditory disturbances/distortions, “feelings of love,” and emotional distress. Some users may experience nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Tryptamines, like Foxy and AMT, are very dose dependent, which means that the doubling of a moderate dose could result in effects similar to LSD. The duration of effects from 20 mg of AMT usually last between 12 and 24 hours, while the effects from 6 to 10 mg of Foxy reportedly last from 3 to 6 hours.
Seizures
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Capsules
containing Foxy seized by the NCIS in Jacksonville, Florida.
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Foxy is found in tablet and capsule form. The capsules usually contain a powder that is blue, green, tan, orange, gray, pink, or gray. Tablets containing Foxy, analyzed by a private laboratory, have been purple in color and embossed with a spider or alien head logo. Foxy tablets analyzed by DEA laboratories have been red and purple. AMT is also found in tablet and capsule form and contains either an orange or off-white powder. Since 2001, federal, state, and local laboratories have analyzed Foxy submissions seized in Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington. Furthermore, tablets containing Foxy, analyzed by a private laboratory, were submitted from sources in Portland, Oregon, and Sacramento and Oakland, California.
In April 2002, a raid at an apartment in Newark, Delaware, resulted in the seizure of 32 tablets of Foxy and the arrest of a 21-year-old man. The tablets were hidden in the freezer and were described as being either red or purple. This was the first seizure of Foxy in Delaware. A few weeks after this incident, the Delaware State Police seized 25 Foxy tablets and arrested a 15-year-old girl at an apartment in Rehoboth Beach. Also seized at the apartment were 7 MDMA tablets, one-half gram of ketamine, 49 grams of marijuana, and dextroamphetamine.
In April 2000, the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force targeted an individual suspected of producing a DMT analog, 5-methoxydimethyltryptamine, at his residence in Maryland. The analog was sold in either liquid or powder (capsule) form for between $80 and $85 per gram.
Conclusion
Although Foxy and AMT are relatively new drugs of abuse, their appearance is indicative of a trend whereby many non-controlled substances are sold to capitalize on the current popularity of club drugs such as MDMA. Since 1996, formerly non-controlled substances, such as 1-benzylpiperazine (BZP), 1-[3-trifluoromethylphenyl]-piperazine (TFMPP), and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-N-propylthiophenethylamine (2C-T-7), all of which produce effects similar to MDMA, have been distributed and abused throughout the United States.1 Deaths associated with the abuse of BZP and TFMPP have not been reported; however, since 2000, there have been at least three 2C-T-7-related deaths in Norman, Oklahoma; Memphis, Tennessee; and Seattle, Washington. In response, the DEA, as of September 20, 2002, has temporarily placed BZP, TFMPP, and 2C-T-7 on Schedule I of the CSA.
Many traffickers believe that by manufacturing and/or distributing non-controlled substances, they are exempt from drug and chemical control laws. Consequently, in the future, more of these substances may appear among club drug users throughout the country. However, the DEA has determined that individuals and organizations currently trafficking these substances with the intent of human consumption can still be prosecuted under the existing federal drug-analog statute.
1 For additional information on BZP and TFMPP, see DEA Intelligence Brief, BZP and TFMPP: Chemicals Used To Mimic MDMA’s Effects, November 2001. This report is available under Intelligence Reports on the DEA website at www.dea.gov.
| This report was prepared by the DEA Intelligence Division, Office of Domestic Strategic Unit. This report reflects information received prior to September 2002. Comments and request for copies are welcome and may be faxed to the Intelligence Production Unit, Intelligence Division, DEA Headquarters, at (202) 307-8726. |
DEA-02052
