The State Revenue Committee Acquires State-of-the-Art Handheld Drug Analyzers and Other Equipment

The Customs Anti-Smuggling Department of the State Revenue Committee has been equipped with advanced technology. The new technical equipment was donated to the State Revenue Committee through the funding of the U.S. Embassy’s Drug Enforcement and Law Enforcement Cooperation Office in Armenia, as a result of collaboration with the regional office of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration over recent years.

One of the standout pieces of equipment is a handheld drug analyzer called “Tru Narc.” This device allows customs officers to analyze any suspicious product or substance—whether it is a powder, liquid, or solid mass—on-site within just 90 seconds. Notably, in many cases, the analysis can be performed without opening the package. For instance, if a customs officer discovers a suspicious liquid substance in a plastic bottle, they can continue the analysis without opening it or taking samples.

After inspection, the device cross-references the results with the existing substance database, and in cases of a match, the name of the substance is displayed on the screen. The device’s library contains information on 324 types of drugs and psychoactive substances, as well as 70 precursors. If the database information is insufficient, the manufacturer offers a free option to compare the research results online within approximately an hour with a larger database of drugs and obtain answers.

The Anti-Smuggling Department has also been equipped with other devices, including density measuring instruments for discovering hiding spots in various parts of vehicles, aerosol express testing kits for drugs, and fibroscopes and videoscopes designed for inspecting vehicles, allowing for visual examination of hard-to-reach areas, including the contents of fuel tanks. The technical base of the department has also been enhanced with new metal detectors to uncover various items concealed in personal items, including weapons and precious metals.

This technical enhancement contributes to increasing the efficiency of anti-smuggling efforts. Previously, customs examination was required for each detected suspicious substance; however, in many cases, such necessity may no longer exist. These devices are already being used in customs control zones and border checkpoints.

Source: State Revenue Committee’s Information and Public Relations Department