GENETICS WILL HELP TRAP THE DRUG DEALERS

Scientists develop vital aid in fight to curb traffickers

A BREAKTHROUGH in DNA testing by Scottish scientists will help drug
enforcement agencies to catch dealers anywhere in the world, it was
revealed yesterday.

The test not only shows when someone has been handling drugs, but by
identifying the drug's unique genetic profile can pinpoint where in the
world it came from.

The information, when cross referenced with other police forces around the
world, will help officers to establish the route by which the drug reached
Scotland.

Scientists at Strathclyde University in Glasgow have developed the test
which can pick up drug molecules from the hands of people who have handling
drugs.

Although it has been in development for almost ten years, Dr Adrian
Linacre, who has lead the research, has now cracked the process which
identifies the drugs. He now hopes that the breakthrough could
revolutionise the international policing of drug traffickers.

At the moment the test is only capable of identifying cannabis, but the
scientists know that with further development the technique will be
applicable to any plant-based narcotic. The test will then be able to be
used in investigating the trafficking of Class A drugs such as heroin and
cocaine.

As different varieties of drugs grown in various places around the world
have slightly differing DNA types, the route by which the drug has been
smuggled can then be traced.

The scientists are now seeking funding for the further research which would
allow them to build a comprehensive database of the various DNA codes of
different drugs by which international police forces would be able to
co-operate in tracking smugglers.

The technique would allow Scottish police officers to test someone who has
been suspected of handling drugs, to input the information into a computer
which would tell them where it came from.

The information could also be fed into a police computer which would
identify any other persons around the world who have also touched the same
batch of drugs.

The deceptively simple test involves the police wiping a cotton swab over a
suspects hands and then passing it through a DNA testing machine.

Dr Linacre is a biologist in the university's forensic department who has
been working on the project for about ten years, including investing
UKP5,000 of his own money in it over the past two years.

He said he was confident the technique, once it had been refined, could
play an important part in investigating drug traffickers. He said: "As far
as I am aware this is the only test in the world which will be able to link
plant-based batches of drugs.

"I started off this research by thinking how indispensable to police
forensics the use of human DNA identification had become. So I used the
same technology in other areas of forensic science, including drug
detection. Despite the process of purification the DNA profile remains the
same and is clearly distinguishable."

Dr Linacre is seeking UKP25,000 to employ a full time research assistant
for two years to develop the test to its full potential.

This would include turning the testing kit into a hand-held format small
enough to be carried by police and customs and excise officers.

He has approached police forces across Britain and the Scottish Office who
have expressed interest in the development of the project.