ARMADILLO at SRE 2025: Tools to Combat GHB-Facilitated Crimes

The ARMADILLO had the opportunity to participate in the Security Research Event (SRE 2025), the flagship annual forum organised by the European Commission’s DG HOME, which took place between 24–25 June 2025 in Brussels, Belgium. Recognised as the leading event in the field of civil security research, SRE brought together more than 1,000 participants, including policymakers, law enforcement professionals, researchers, innovators, and civil society representatives from across Europe.

This year, ARMADILLO was proudly featured at the booth of our sister project, NARCOSIS, with whom we share a commitment to fighting drug-related crime through innovation. Our collaboration offered a shared promotional space, where ARMADILLO’s project brochure was displayed alongside NARCOSIS communication materials—drawing significant attention from visitors keen to learn about emerging security technologies.

Representing ARMADILLO on-site were Eleni Veroni and Spyros Evaggelatos from Netcompany S.A. Their active engagement with stakeholders helped raise awareness about ARMADILLO’s mission, objectives, and impact, particularly around the urgent challenge of GHB-facilitated crimes, a growing public safety concern in Europe.

Why ARMADILLO Matters

GHB (gamma-Hydroxybutyrate) is a fast-acting sedative often misused to carry out drug-facilitated sexual assaults and other crimes. Due to its rapid metabolisation in the body, detecting GHB in victims—especially outside laboratory environments—remains a critical gap for law enforcement authorities (LEAs) and forensic teams.

This is where ARMADILLO comes in.

The project is developing a portable, low-cost toolkit that can be deployed directly in the field to detect GHB and its precursors in various matrices such as beverages, saliva, or urine. By combining innovative chemical sensors, smart algorithms, and user-friendly interfaces, ARMADILLO will empower first responders and forensic specialists with a fast and reliable screening and confirmation method—even in real-time scenarios.

More than just a scientific breakthrough, ARMADILLO aims to:

• Support timely intervention in suspected GHB-related incidents;
• Strengthen evidence collection for prosecution;
• Build trust and safety in nightlife, public spaces, and private environments;
• Contribute to EU-wide strategies to combat drug-facilitated crimes.

Strengthening Community Through Collaboration

Sharing space with NARCOSIS at SRE 2025 was more than a practical decision; it was a statement of the collaborative spirit driving EU research and innovation. Both projects sparked fruitful discussions among attendees, particularly on how next-generation detection tools can make a difference on the ground for law enforcement and the communities they serve.

ARMADILLO’s participation also aligned with the event’s wider goal: to highlight research that responds to real-world threats and enhances the resilience of Europe’s security landscape.

We would like to thank the NARCOSIS team for their hospitality, the European Commission for hosting such a dynamic event, and everyone who visited our shared booth to explore the future of chemical detection in security operations.