On April 3, 2026, the Boletín Oficial (Official Gazette) of Argentina published Presidential Decree 128/2026, which amends Decree No. 593/2019 to update the Chemical Precursors (Precursores Químicos) control list, adding 56 new substances.
Main Amendments
- List I (Strict Control) adds 31 substances, including:
- Fentanyl precursors: 1-boc-4-piperidone, 4-piperidone, o-methyl-4-AP, etc.
- Amphetamine precursors: P-2-P methyl glycidate and its 8 esters, 7 esters of 3,4-MDP-2-P, EAPA, methyl β-phenylacetoacetate, etc.
- Halogenated nitrobenzenes (6 types): can be used to synthesize ultra-potent nitazene opioids
- Others: 1,4-butanediol, hydroxylimine, 2-chlorophenyl cyclopentyl ketone, IMDPAM, etc.
- List III (Dual-Use Control) adds 25 substances, mainly industrial solvents and reagents:
- Butyl acetate, methyl acetate, pentanol, propanol, sec-butanol, tert-butanol, cyclohexane, cyclohexene, styrene, isopropyl ether, tetrachloroethylene, carbon tetrachloride, turpentine, etc.
- Expanded control of existing substances:
- Derivatives, analogues, and salts of P-2-P
- Salts, amides, carbamates, and halides of 4-AP
- 8 esters of 3,4-MDP-2-P methyl glycidate
Complete Precursor Control List:
The decree takes effect from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette. The Argentine Federal Administration of Public Revenue (AFIP) has initiated the corresponding customs opening procedures for the new substances and will administer them according to the control levels of List I and List III under the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances. For these two categories of substances, AFIP is currently carrying out the corresponding opening operations in the MALVINA Information System (SIM subsystem) nationwide, with the aim of identifying the listed substances and assigning them their respective control levels.
