SUSPICIONS that the internationally recognised field test for cocaine is unreliable have been confirmed by a lab investigation. Not only does the test fail to detect the drug in some samples, it can also wrongly give positive results when no cocaine is present.
The Scott test, introduced in 1973, is used by many police forces as a preliminary test on substances they suspect to be cocaine. A positive result isn’t enough to secure a conviction, but it can lead to suspects being detained until a forensic lab completes a detailed analysis using mass spectrometry. Inaccurate results may lead to false…
