Drug Packaging
Our expert in drug packaging joined Allen Morgan Associates in 2012 after 25 years at the Forensic Science Service (FSS) where he was a senior forensic scientist.
He has significant expertise in areas relating to illicit drugs, including drug synthesis, designer drugs, new psychoactive substances and drug importation, as well as chemical/physical comparisons of drug materials, drug packaging materials and paraphernalia. He has reviewed a number of cases involving the presence of ‘drugs on money’ and addressed the significance or otherwise of such findings.
Whilst at the FSS laboratory in London he was a lead cannabis cultivation expert for many years. He was heavily involved in training colleagues and law enforcement officers in matters relating to drugs cases, crime scene examination and presenting expert evidence at court.
He is also a professional member of the Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences.
Since joining our team he has provided expert evidence on behalf of both the Crown and the Defence in a variety of cases including a number of large-scale amphetamine production cases, cannabis cultivation cases ranging from small-scale domestic set-ups to industrial units and a number of cases where challenges have been made to the identification, purity or form of drug recovered.
His extensive knowledge of forensic issues makes him a true authority on drug-related matters.
Two recent cases that we have been have asked to review involved the testing of quantities of white powder identified by the Crown as cocaine. The identification of the substance was strongly disputed in both cases which were completely unconnected. On the basis of the testing of the powders the CPS had authorised charges for possession of Class A drugs.
These two cases offer a timely reminder of properly assessing issues regarding drug identifications. In both cases the powders had been subjected to an initial “Field Test” conducted by police officers which indicated that the substances were cocaine. The drugs were never analysed at a laboratory. With our intervention the powders were retested and confirmed to be Bicarbonate of Soda. In both cases following our reports the CPS discontinued proceedings.
