Narc detectorNew handheld narcotics analyzer to help in war on drugs

Published 7 February 2012

The war on drugs must cope with new substances such as bath salts, one of many new designer drugs which reach the streets, so law enforcement technology must evolve as well

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. the other day introduced Thermo Scientific TruNarc, a new handheld narcotics analyzer aiming to help local law enforcement in the war on drugs.

The company says TruNarc can replace more subjective presumptive field tests (color tests) used by law enforcement for decades. The core technology behind TruNarc — Raman spectroscopy — puts a laboratory analyzer in the hands of local law enforcement, providing more accurate and reliable field testing that expedites prosecution.

The war on drugs must cope with new substances such as bath salts, one of many new designer drugs which reach the streets, so law enforcement technology must evolve as well. The company says that users of TruNarc can test liquid and solid samples for common narcotics such as cocaine, methamphetamine, and MDMA (ecstasy), and can also identify new threats, such as the synthetic cathinones found in bath salts. They can do that because the reference library in their analyzer can be quickly updated to include new substances.

The handheld instrument can also analyze suspected substances through plastic or glass.

“This technology has the potential to impact the entire system, from the street to eventual prosecution,” said Chief Paul Keenan, Quincy, Massachusetts, Police Department. “This easy-to-use instrument could save valuable time for officers, forensic lab staff and, ultimately, prosecutors. That’s time — and money — that can be invested back into the community to ensure we stay steps ahead of a constantly evolving drug problem.”

Once a substance is analyzed, the results are automatically captured for reporting and evidence. Results are automatically date-stamped and stored for future prosecution.