Abstract
A system using energy dispersive X-ray diffraction has been tested to detect the presence of illicit drugs concealed within parcels typical of those which are imported into the UK via postal and courier services. The system was used to record diffraction data from calibration samples of diamorphine (heroin) and common cutting agents and a partial least squares regression model was established between diamorphine concentration and diffraction spectra. Parcels containing various crystalline and amorphous materials, including diamorphine, were then scanned to obtain multiple localised diffraction spectra and to form a hyperspectral image. The calibration model was used for the prediction of diamorphine concentration throughout the volume of parcels and enabled the presence and location of diamorphine to be determined from the visual inspection of concentration maps. This research demonstrates for the first time the potential of an EDXRD system to generate continuous hyperspectral images of real parcels from volume scanning in security applications and introduces the opportunity to explore hyperspectral image analysis in chemical and material identification. However, more work must be done to make the system ready for implementation in border control operations by bringing down the procedure time to operational requirements and by proving the system’s portability.
Highlights
A major threat to UK security in recent years has been the importation of illicit drugs via routes such as the postal system and courier services (Coleman 2011; Dhani 2014)
The UK Border Force is responsible for ensuring that imported parcels are free from illegal items such as illicit drugs, firearms, explosives and dangerous chemicals before they can be allowed into the country
The concentration map of Parcel 1 (Fig. 6a) identifies the sample of diamorphine at 73% purity which can be seen in the transmission image in the lower central area of the image
Summary
A major threat to UK security in recent years has been the importation of illicit drugs via routes such as the postal system and courier services (Coleman 2011; Dhani 2014). The UK Border Force is responsible for ensuring that imported parcels are free from illegal items such as illicit drugs, firearms, explosives and dangerous chemicals before they can be allowed into the country. The. Cocaine and diamorphine are both class A drugs, classified according to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (MDA), and are the most commonly seized drugs in the UK with approximately 17,000 and 8500 seizures in 2013/2014, respectively (Dhani 2014). Due to the limited availability of cocaine during the experimental phase of the research, this study focuses on the detection of diamorphine
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