What is done with illegal drugs?

[Mackmax]

If a person is caught with 2 pounds of cocaine, and gets arrested and prosecuted, what is done with the drug? Is it destroyed so that nobody can use it? I would think that the investigators would dispose of it since they've already prosecuted the suspect, and there is no longer a reason to withhold the evidence.
Do they dispose of drugs differently than they would dispose of other items, since drugs are more harmful?

 

[blur92]

I want to think they responsibly take care of it. I suppose some counties differ, though. Years ago I had a friend whose father was a cop. This friend told me how they leave many of the confiscated items on a table and that they are up for grabs. He partly told me this because his father so happened to take some of the marijuana for personal use. Maybe he was lying, however, I would believe it if it was true.

 

[missbishi]

I think that they dispose of the bulk of the drugs but it wouldn't surprise me if some are kept back for research and educational purposes. At school, the police would visit every year with this dispay case that contained actual drugs, to show us what everything looked like. I imagine some of the drugs would be tested to determine what is actually in them too.

 

[primalclaws1974]

If a person is caught with 2 pounds of cocaine, and gets arrested and prosecuted, what is done with the drug? Is it destroyed so that nobody can use it? I would think that the investigators would dispose of it since they've already prosecuted the suspect, and there is no longer a reason to withhold the evidence.
Do they dispose of drugs differently than they would dispose of other items, since drugs are more harmful?

They have to keep it in an evidence locker until the crimes are pinned on a person, they are found innocent, or it is dismissed. I think I also heard somewhere that they keep them a year, but that may be only certain places, and special circumstances. Some of the drugs probably go to universities and other places doing research on that particular drug. I have seen video of the Feds burning weed, but not sure about coke and meth. It is likely eventually destroyed in some way.

 

[jeremy2]

From what I've observed,the seized drug is destroyed in the presence of court officials and the media is usually invited for transparency purposes.This is usually done to send out a message to the drug cartels that their days are numbered and they will face justice one day.The drugs are usually placed in an incinerator and torched in a way that there is minimum pollution to the environment.

 

[Owl]

I have literally always wondered this but for some reason never looked it up. I think that they'd probably just dispose it but I'm glad to know the stuff about the evidence locker as well. I had no idea that it went through such a process.

 

[tanker]

There are elaborate proceedures to ensure they are properly accounted for. Once they are no longer needed as evidence they are destroyed, usually burned. In this case they are again properly accounted for and there are multiple witnesses to ensure none of the illegal items go missing. So no you can't take the drugs home and use them.

 

[bala]

If it were the cops in here,they would sell it back to those drug cartels and make money..Lolz..jk..but there is a chance of it happening.
They surely might burn it off in a safe way so that it can't be subject to re-use.

 

[Rainman]

I've heard that in some countries police conveniently lose the evidence a.k.a illegal drugs. They or those in charge of them, sell the drugs and they get a cut of the proceeds. But since corruption exists virtually everywhere I believe that not all drugs seized are destroyed.

 

[Shimus]

I've heard that in some countries police conveniently lose the evidence a.k.a illegal drugs. They or those in charge of them, sell the drugs and they get a cut of the proceeds. But since corruption exists virtually everywhere I believe that not all drugs seized are destroyed.

I'm more apt to believe this myself. Corruption abounds everywhere, especially with dips in economy and everyone is feeling a tight strain. Even foreign countries. (I'm in the USA)

However, the more likely explanation is that they find themselves in is that some of those drugs may even be sitting in cold-storage in their evidence rooms to this day. They probably do a "cleaning" where they hand them away to various uses and universities and/or destroy them (The feds burning pot video)

I imagine regardless of what happens, the drugs aren't making it back into the hands of the citizenry. At least I hope and pray not. But then again, Corruption.

 

[blur92]

Honestly, I think some may even use it themselves. Like I previously posted, I had a friend whose father is a cop. He told me some of the confiscated items were up for grabs. Supposedly his father took some marijuana home for personal use. Granted, this is somewhat hearsay since the friend told me about this, and I did not personally witness it. I would consider the validity in his story since, if I'm not mistaken, cops undergo regular drug tests.

 

[Peninha]

Yep, I also think that the drugs are destroyed, I see no other place where they could go, after all they are illegal substances so there is no other purpose for them.

 

[Kittyworker]

I would say its first sent to a lab to determine its purity and if it had any actual value in research. If its pure cocaine I imagine its sent to a hospital. If its cut than most likely it ends up sitting in evidence locker until it either gets stolen or the Police/Feds do a cleanout where all the illegal drugs are burned.