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Serendipitous Detection of 3-Chloromethcathinone from Seized Narcotic Drug Samples

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Author Affiliations

  • 1Regional Forensic Science Laboratory Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Home Department, Government of Maharashtra, India
  • 2Directorate Forensic Science Laboratory Mumbai, Home Department, Government of Maharashtra, India
  • 3Directorate Forensic Science Laboratory Mumbai, Home Department, Government of Maharashtra, India

Res. J. Forensic Sci., Volume 14, Issue (1), Pages 12-19, January,29 (2026)

Abstract

Drug abuse has become concerning issue worldwide, with the illicit drug market continuously evolving to circumvent legal regulations and detection methods. The use of novel psychoactive substances, also known to be "designer drugs" has emerged as a challenge in recent years. Designer drugs are synthesized to mimic the properties of illicit drugs in order to avoid legal restrictions. These designer drugs often contain new and previously unknown chemical compounds, making their identification and detection challenging for law enforcement and forensic laboratories. One such example is the unexpected detection of 3-chloromethcathinone (3-CMC) in narcotic drug samples. In India, the positional isomer of 3-CMC i.e. 4-CMC, is under NDPS act 1985. In the present case work even though the samples were suspected to be Mephedrone, detection of 3-CMC in a narcotic drug sample was achieved successfully by employing various analytical methods such as Thin layer chromatography, UV Spectroscopy, GCMS and H1 NMR Spectroscopy. The detection of 3-CMC in suspected narcotic drug sample highlights the need for continuous monitoring and analysis of illicit drug samples. It is essential to remain vigilant and adapt detection methods to identify emerging designer drugs, such as 3-CMC.

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