Ecuadorian authorities have begun using a method called encapsulation, whereby they mix cocaine powder with cement to make concrete blocks to prevent its recovery and reuse and to quickly destroy the illegal substance.
The cocaine hydrochloride is converted into powder, mixed with cement, salt and chemical accelerants to form a slurry which is then poured into molds. After drying, it hardens completely, making it impossible to extract the cocaine.
The undersecretary of Drug Control of the Ministry of Interior, Edmundo Mera, has explained the method in an interview with the portal InSight Crime and highlighted that since the beginning of the year and until October 14, 2022, Ecuador had destroyed almost 180 tons of drugs in total, and 61 percent were destroyed using the encapsulation technique.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) recommends encapsulation as a viable way to dispose of drugs and toxic materials used in drug processing, but Ecuador is the first country to destroy cocaine on such a large scale using this method, UNODC synthetic drug expert Martin Raithelhuber told InSight Crime.
It is also a fast and much-needed method in Ecuador, where seizures in the ports alone have increased by 42 percent by 2022. Encapsulation makes it possible to destroy up to 1,500 kilos of drugs per hour, while incineration is limited to 70 kilos per hour.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
