National Forensic Service, World's First Detection of New Synthetic Drugs... Focus on Preventing Secondary Crimes

First Identification of New Synthetic Drug Structure
Telegram Transactions Confirmed... Blocking Distribution

The National Forensic Service has discovered a new type of drug that has never been reported domestically or internationally. As a drug with strong hallucinogenic effects, the National Forensic Service plans to support swift responses such as blocking its distribution.

According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on the 25th, the new type of drug detected for the first time in the world by the National Forensic Service is '2-fluoro-2-oxo PCPr' (2-fluoro-2-oxo PCPr).

Yonhap News

It is an analog of phencyclidine (PCP), which has strong hallucinogenic effects. Phencyclidine, also known as "Angel Dust," causes hallucinations, delusions, and violent behavior when addicted. Ketamine, a veterinary medicine recently confirmed to be popular in Korea, is also a type of phencyclidine.

'2-fluoro-2-oxo PCPr' has a chemical structure similar to the drug detected in the "Current Police Officer Apartment Fall Death and Group Drug Meeting Incident" that occurred in Yongsan last year. The National Forensic Service warned of addiction symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions caused by this drug, as well as the possibility of secondary crimes. In particular, the National Forensic Service confirmed that this drug is being distributed simultaneously across the country in places such as Seoul, Cheonan, and Jeonbuk through hidden drug transactions using platforms like Telegram.

The National Forensic Service plans to share these research results with domestic and international related agencies to support rapid responses to new types of drugs and submit a paper containing related information to internationally renowned academic journals. Lee Bong-woo, Director of the National Forensic Service, stated, "As the National Forensic Service is at the forefront of exploring domestic drug trends, we will continue efforts to strengthen drug analysis capabilities through the development of advanced analytical technologies and information sharing with related agencies." He added, "We will do our best to prevent drug crimes and ensure public health and safety by blocking the distribution of new drugs that threaten public safety from the initial stage and contributing to the improvement of related laws and systems."

Meanwhile, over the past five years, the National Forensic Service has played a decisive role in designating more than 30 new types of drugs, which had been known among drug offenders as "drugs that do not get caught," by detecting them for the first time in Korea. In 2022, it contributed significantly to the early detection and rapid blocking of the spread of new drugs never reported domestically or internationally by detecting and identifying the structure of a synthetic cannabinoid called 'ADB-BRINACA' for the first time in the world.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.