Detecting synthetic drugs before they spread.

Synthetic drugs are reshaping Europe’s drug trade, with production increasingly taking place in local hotspots such as the Limburg region in the Netherlands, where clandestine labs operate to manufacture new substances. Traditional detection methods struggle to keep pace with this rapidly evolving threat.

The EU-cofunded PENTION project is developing a next-generation vapour detector based on differential mobility analysis combined with mass spectrometry: a breakthrough technology capable of identifying new drugs, precursors, clandestine labs, and production sites through accurate chemical fingerprints.

By equipping law enforcement and authorities with powerful new detection tools, PENTION aims to strengthen Europe’s ability to tackle synthetic drug manufacturing and trafficking more effectively and safely.