COCAINE WEIGHTS

Various Weights of Cocaine

COCAINE WEIGHTS

1 gram      =  .03 ounces
3.5 grams  =  1/8 of an ounce "Eight Ball"
7 grams     =  Quarter ounce (two eight balls)
14 grams    =  Half ounce
21 grams    =  Third of an ounce
28.3 grams = Ounce "an O"
62 grams    = 2.18 ounces "Sixty Two"
125 grams  = 4.40 ounces "Big Eight" (Eighth of a kilo)
250 grams  = 8.81 ounces "Quarter Kilogram"
500 grams  = 17.63 ounces "Half Kilo"
750 grams  = 26.45 ounces "Three quarters of a kilo"
1000 grams = 35.27 ounces "One Kilo"

* * * A kilogram of cocaine is often referred to as being 2.2 pounds of cocaine. This is somewhat misleading. Although a kilo does weigh out to be about 2.2 pounds. This doesn't mean that it weighs two pounds and two ounces. A kilo actually weighs 2 pounds and about 3.27 ounces (35.27 ounces).

The standard package weight of cocaine is one kilogram and then is later broken into smaller weights for sale and consumption. Sometimes large seizures of cocaine take place, where a ton or several tons of cocaine are seized.  This is especially common when a seizure takes place at sea by the military such as the Coast Guard.  Cocaine will usually be packed into large sacks where many individual kilograms are inside.  A metric ton of cocaine weighs 1,000 kilograms, a short ton contains 907 kilos and a long ton has 1016 kgs.

A "Short Ton" is the equivalent of 2,000 pounds (907 kilograms).

Weights when selling Cocaine

Almost the entire world uses the International System of Units, commonly known as the "Metric System".  However, the USA (United States of America) does not use this system.  Instead of Kilograms, people in the U.S.A. use pounds.  Instead of grams, they use ounces.  This leads to an interesting mixture of the metric system in terms of drug dealing. 

Most lower level drug dealers and users do not know that a kilogram has 1,000 grams in it.  In fact, many law enforcement officials don't know this either but most everybody has at least some familiarity with the term "Kilo".

Typically, a lower level drug dealer in the United States will deal in ounce level quantities of cocaine.  At this lower level, the amount purchased and sold will deal with the term "ounce".  However, once a dealer starts dealing in more than about 8 ounces, the dealer will now converse in metric system language.  Not all, but most will start purchasing quantities that are referred to their metric system weights. This level would equate to be about 250 grams (8.81 ounces).  From this level on up, the terms quarter kilo, half kilo, whole kilo, etc; are commonly spoken.

Since a kilogram of cocaine is an exact 1,000 grams it actually makes more sense for a drug dealer to use the metric system.  The math in order to determine profit margins are more easily understood when using the metric system.  For example, if a person purchases one kilogram (1,000 grams) for $26,000 then the price per gram is $26.  If this person turns around sells a quantity of cocaine at $40 per gram then the dealer is making $14 in profit per gram.  If the dealer continues to sell in terms of price per gram, then after the entire kilogram is sold then this person would have a profit of $14,000.  This is easy math when you really think about it.  Multiply $14 (profit per gram) x 1,000 grams and this equals $14,000 total profit.

Now lets say that the person that purchased the cocaine for $40 per gram and got a total of only 30 grams.  This person then resold at a price of $50 per gram.  This person would be making a profit of $10 per gram on his/her sales.  This person would net a net profit of 10 (profit in each gram) multiplied by 30 grams and thus would make a total profit of $300 after his 30 grams were all sold. 

If you do this type of math in the non-metric system such as ounces then your ability to determine profit is going to be harder because you are actually going to have to convert ounces to grams or vice versa.  If everything were done in the metric system then things would be much simpler.