Customs officials are the first ones coming in contact with new synthetic drugs when these arrive at the borders. Their role is of fundamental importance not only from an economic point of view, but also in the interest of public health and the protection and safety of EU citizens.

The advanced analytical techniques of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS) are required for the proper identification of new synthetic drugs and other products encountered on the illicit market (doping substances, diverted or adulterated medicines etc…). 

The programme of the three days focused on the interpretation of NMR and HR-MS data. The objective was also to strengthen the sharing of knowledge and best practices among the Customs Laboratories European Network (CLEN) and other networks such as the Drug Working Group of the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) and the General European Official Medicines Control Laboratories (OMCL) Network (GEON).

CLEN Customs chemists were invited to join this training in the frame of the programme Customs2020.

The training was also open to scientists from other organisations and networks interested in these analytical techniques.