New Trends in Illicit Drug Markets and Laboratories – a Forensic Aspect

Abstract

According to the latest World Drug Report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) we can see a global rise in synthetic drug consumption worldwide, the same way in Europe, also affected by the war in the Ukraine. The same trends can be seen in the latest report of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). Criminals need to find new ways of smuggling and trafficking drug to the EU using new routes. Illicit laboratories are mostly found in the Netherlands and Belgium, but as the European market expands new laboratories are expected to rise in other EU countries, so in Hungary. Criminal and forensic experts must be prepared for these new challenges. Looking at the trends it is only a question of time the Hungarian authorities will have to face this kind of issues. A well-equipped and trained team of experts will be needed to investigate on the crime scene, secure evidence and dismantle this kind of illicit laboratories. Latest development of the criminal activities and illicit laboratories special education and equipment required will be shown in my presentation according to the newest standards and best practices of other countries in the EU. A special system of entering and securing evidence as well as dismantling such a lab is essential.