Law enforcement agents, narcotics officers, and customs personnel can now identify 34 additional substances and choose from two scan modes with the Thermo Scientific TruNarc handheld narcotics analyzer, according to the company. The latest software update adds new high priority alarm substances including fentanyl derivatives and other highly potent opioid antagonists, cannabinoids, and cathinones.
The TruNarc analyzer uses Raman spectroscopy, a well-established analytical technique, that allows officers to scan a single sample for multiple narcotics in one non-destructive and non-contact test and receive the results within seconds. An increasing number of law enforcement departments are deploying TruNarc to help limit the need to carry multiple chemical tests and reduce drug testing backlogs. The analyzer library can now quickly and accurately identify 498 substances, including 40 fentanyl derivatives.