Isotope Profiling of Drugs: A Tool to Disrupt Organised Crime, Detect Serious Crime and Reduce Volume Crime.
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen's University Belfast
Department Name: Sch Planning Architecture and Civil Eng
Abstract
This research proposal addresses the needs identified by end-users within UK law enforcement agencies for forensic data to support intelligence lead policing as well as the demands placed on them to achieve secure convictions. Isotope profiling in particular has been identified by the Forensic Science Service as a potentially powerful tool to address the intelligence needs for intelligence lead policing.Clandestine synthesis and movement of drugs are a global problem run by many international criminal networks. Increasing drug linkage information will lead to an increase in objective scientific intelligence about international networks and improve opportunities to disrupt such networks.Of the illicit drugs, homemade and imported MDMA ('Ecstasy') is of particular concern to most law enforcement agencies in the UK. For example, the most recent NCIS Scottish Strategic Assessment has determined a significant increase in the threat to Scottish communities posed by organised crime.The situation is one of increased sophistication and globalisation, with longstanding and well-established links between organised crimein the UK, Europe, the former Soviet Bloc countries, Asia and South America.
Organisations
- Queen's University Belfast (Lead Research Organisation)
- Department of Justice (Project Partner)
- Mass Spec Analytical (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Project Partner)
- Police Forensic Science Laboratory Dundee (Project Partner)
- Forensic Science Service Ltd (Project Partner)
- Police Scotland (Project Partner)
Publications
Buchanan HA
(2008)
Emerging use of isotope ratio mass spectrometry as a tool for discrimination of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine by synthetic route.
in Analytical chemistry
Carter J
(2009)
Wiley Encyclopedia of Forensic Science
De Korompay A
(2008)
Supported liquid-liquid extraction of the active ingredient (3,4-methylenedioxymethylamphetamine) from ecstasy tablets for isotopic analysis.
in Journal of chromatography. A
Meier-Augenstein Wolfram
(2010)
Stable Isotope Forensics: An Introduction to the Forensic Application of Stable Isotope Analysis
NicDaeid N
(2008)
Feasibility of source identification of seized street drug samples by exploiting differences in isotopic composition at natural abundance level by GC/MS as compared to isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS).
in Forensic science international