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Creating the Base By that point, the cocaine paste has a white appearance due to oxidation in the production process. Manufacturers finally add lime or ammonia back into the solution to produce the free base of cocaine. They then clean, filter, rinse, and dry the paste before dissolving it in diethyl ether before further filtration. An acetone or solvent is added to produce the final cocaine.

Cocaine and other illegal drugs are often hidden in everyday items in an effort to hide them from airport security. Above, this photo shows three pounds of cocaine that was hidden in decorative figurines found in a traveler’s bags that arrived on a flight from Honduras. It was detected and seized by US Customs and Border Protection officers.

What Is Cocaine?

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