DOI: 10.5176/2382-5642_FSCR15.11
Authors: Magdalena Zubanska, Ph.D., Anna Swierczewska-Gasiorowska
Abstract: Drugs are, unfortunately, one of the most lucrative criminal activities. Among them there is the largest group of synthetic substances, which now account for half of the European drug market. Production of synthetic drugs is carried out, among others, in Europe and a “typical European” synthetic drug is considered to be amphetamine sulphate. The drug is obtained from synthetic precursors in an illegal laboratory, which is a location containing the equipment needed to carry out the synthesis and the corresponding set of compounds. Under the law an illegal drug lab is a crime scene. In the event of liquidation of such a place, it is necessary to protect and store chemicals and laboratory equipment for the needs of criminal proceedings to be able to prove that in a given place synthesis of controlled substances has been held and to determine the quantity, purity and an estimated black market value of seized drugs and precursors. Among substances that are possible to be found in an illegal laboratory is a very large number of toxic, irritant or flammable ones, which seizure, transport and storage can be very dangerous. Police Academy in Szczytno (Poland) has been implementing a research and development project, which entails development of the technical part of modern solutions and devices that enable proper and effective protection, transport, storage and disposal of hazardous material evidence. A factor that eliminates the mentioned risks includes the use of automatic sampling kits (e.g. samples of aggressive reaction mixtures). One solution already developed in the project is a mobile robotic system equipped with a system of modules for taking samples (liquid, powder or solid). From a security perspective of forensic science technicians, such a solution is essential and can also be described as a business card of technological progress that is occurring in criminology.
Keywords: controlled substance synthetic drug illegal lab robotic system evidence preservation of samples
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