Issue 1/2026 was published at the beginning of March.
The next issue will be released on June 1, 2026.
Contents (all articles are in Czech and include an English abstract):
- Ketamine – a medicinal product and an abused substance
- Serious cases from inspections by the State Agricultural and Food Inspection Authority concerning the safety of food supplements
- Management of kratom intoxication in pre‑hospital emergency care
- Drug smuggling in postal parcels – development, trends, and a case study
- The case of the Black Goat
- Selected aspects of parallel investigation of drug‑related crime and crimes committed against children
- When chemistry turns into a detective story: A review of two books by Stanislav Rádl
Ketamine – a medicinal product and an abused substance
Abstract: This article summarizes the historical facts concerning the dissociative anesthetic ketamine – from its discovery and introduction into human and veterinary medical practice to its off‑label use in treating depression. It also highlights its abuse as a recreational drug with dissociative and euphoric effects. Finally, the potential for abuse of the recently introduced intranasal formulation of the pure S‑enantiomer (Spravato®) is discussed.
Link to the full article
Author: Doc. Ing. Stanislav Rádl, CSc., email: stanislav.radl@email.cz, Zentiva
Serious cases from inspections by the State Agricultural and Food Inspection Authority concerning the safety of food supplements
Abstract: A description of selected serious cases detected by the State Agricultural and Food Inspection Authority (SZPI) during inspections of food supplements on the Czech market. The Authority investigates dozens of cases annually in which prohibited, hazardous or undeclared substances have been found in supplements – including pharmacologically active agents (sildenafil, yohimbine), narcotic substances (THC, HHC), or heavy metals.
Selected cases with significant health risks to consumers are described, such as high levels of amygdalin, mercury, or delta‑9‑THC. The article also draws attention to the broader implications of these findings, including the activation of the European Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) and actions against illegal online sales.
It emphasises the need for rigorous oversight of food supplements, which are not subject to pre‑market approval procedures, and the importance of international co‑operation in ensuring food safety and consumer protection.
Link to the full article (CZ)
Author: Ing. Miriam Bellofattová (State Agricultural and Food Inspection Authority, Brno), mail: miriam.bellofattova@szpi.gov.cz
Management of kratom intoxication in pre‑hospital emergency care
Abstract: Kratom intoxication has recently become an increasingly frequent cause requiring pre‑hospital emergency medical intervention. Given the relative availability of this natural stimulant (dangerous drug), health‑care professionals are confronted with its adverse effects after consumption of kratom or kratom‑based products. The authors provide information regarding the symptoms of intoxication and illustrate the issue through two case studies from real interventions by prehospital paramedic teams
Link to the full article (CZ)
Author: PhDr. PaedDr. Mgr. Rebeka Ralbovská, Ph.D., LL.M., DBA, Dr.Ph., dr.h.c. (Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Department of Medical Fields and Population Protection, Kladno), e-mail: rebeka.ralbovska@fbmi.cvut.cz
Drug smuggling in postal parcels – development, trends, and a case study
Abstract: The paper maps the situation regarding smuggling of controlled substances through postal shipments from the post‑1989 period to the present day, including the latest trends and typical characteristics of these “parcel cases.” It identifies the circumstances and causes that led to an increase in this type of drug‑related crime since 2019. It includes a case study of the criminal file code‑named LEGO, which illustrates the described patterns and trends.
Link to the full articl (CZ)
Autorka: kpt. Mgr. Pavlína Baštová, (Customs Administration – General Directorate, Department of Coordination and Methodology, Drug and Customs Criminal Offences Division, Prague), e-mail: pavlina. bastova@celnisprava.gov.cz
The case of the Black Goat
Abstract: This article focuses on the rise of drug‑related crime, its latency, and the penetration of drugs into forgotten corners of the country – small, inconspicuous villages on the margins of districts and regions. The presented case vividly shows how people on the fringes of society, without life goals, developed and internalised a strong urge to get rich quickly by producing and selling narcotic substances without regard for the consequences.
Link to the full article (CZ)
Author: mjr. Mgr. Pavel Mrzena, (Police of the Czech Republic, Tábor District Directorate, Criminal Police and Investigation Service, Tábor), e-mail: pavel.mrzena@pcr.cz
Selected aspects of parallel investigation of drug‑related crime and crimes committed against children
Abstrakt: The article examines issues linked to the parallel covert investigation of drug‑related crimes and offences committed against children. It addresses the operational execution of such investigations, arguments for close co‑operation with bodies of child social and legal protection, and the admissibility of evidence obtained through house searches and wiretapping used in related criminal proceedings.
Link to the full article (CZ)
Author: JUDr. Vojtěch Vávra, Vávra (Prague 10 District Prosecutor’s Office), email: vvavra@osz.pha10.justice.cz
When chemistry becomes a detective story: Review of two books by Stanislav Rádl
Abstract: The books Stories Connected with the Discovery of New Drugs I (2023) and II (2025) by Doc. Ing. Stanislav Rádl, CSc., transform the history of drug development into a thrilling mosaic of scientific discovery, human fate and social context. An experienced chemist and pharmacist with long practice in both academia and industry, the author reveals how behind many famous medicines lie stories of chance, mistakes, ethical dilemmas and genius.
Both volumes prove that scientific literature can be as gripping as a detective story while serving as an inspiring reflection on the relationship between science, ethics and society.
Author: Ing. Vlastimil Mikšík, Ph.D., (Ministry of Agriculture, Prague‑Těšnov), email: vlastimil.miksik@mze.gov.cz
About the journal Drugs & Forensics Bulletin
The journal focuses on topics related to narcotic and psychotropic substances and their research. It also covers fields such as toxicology, addictology, and forensic science, and extends to certain food‑safety subjects.
The periodical has been published for 32 years. It is a peer‑reviewed professional journal (ISSN 1211‑8834) issued quarterly in a print run of 850 copies. Since 2019, it has been included in the European Reference Index for the Humanities and Social Sciences (ERIH PLUS). Since 2025, it has also been indexed in the European online library platform CEEOL.
Publisher: Police of the Czech Republic, National Drug Headquarters (Criminal Police and Investigation Service).
Subscriptions
An electronic version of the journal is also available – either individual issues or specific articles. Gift subscriptions are also offered. It is possible to subscribe to all four issues published in the year or only selected issues. An electronic version of the journal is also available – either individual issues or specific articles. Gift subscriptions are also offered.
Link
- Archive of past issues Drugs & Forensics Bulletin – National Drug Headquarters of the Police of the Czech Republic
