Narcotics Scanner Global Market Opportunities and Strategies to 2032

This report describes and explains the narcotics scanner market and covers 2017-2022, termed the historic period, and 2022-2027, 2032F termed the forecast period. The report evaluates the market across each region and for the major economies within each region.

The global narcotics scanner market reached a value of nearly $6.34 billion in 2022, having grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.99% since 2017. The market is expected to grow from $6.34 billion in 2022 to $9.48 billion in 2027 at a rate of 8.37%. The market is then expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.82% from 2027 and reach $15.15 billion in 2032.

Growth in the historic period resulted from surge in the number of drug users, rising efforts toward curbing drug trafficking, growing investments from airports to intercept and detain people handling narcotics. Factors that negatively affected growth in the historic period was high cost of narcotic scanners.

Going forward, rising in cases of drug seizure, growth in illegal drug trafficking, increasing government initiatives to combat drug usage. Factor that could hinder the growth of the narcotics scanner market in the future include availability of substitutes such as drones.

The narcotics scanner market is segmented by product type into a handheld scanner, tabletop scanner and walkthrough scanner. The tabletop scanner market was the largest segment of the narcotics scanner market segmented by product type, accounting for 41.4% or $2.62 billion of the total in 2022. Going forward, the handheld scanner segment is expected to be the fastest growing segment in the narcotics scanner market segmented by product type, at a CAGR of 8.98% during 2022-2027.

The narcotics scanner market is segmented by end-user into airport, sea port, railway terminal, law enforcement, defense and military and other end-users. The airport market was the largest segment of the narcotics scanner market segmented by end-user, accounting for 35.5% or $2.25 billion of the total in 2022. Going forward, the sea port segment is expected to be the fastest growing segment in the narcotics scanner market segmented by end-user, at a CAGR of 9.18% during 2022-2027.

The narcotics scanner market is segmented by technology into ion mobility spectrum technology, contraband detection equipment, videoscope inspection system, infrared spectroscopy and other technology. The ion mobility spectrum technology market was the largest segment of the narcotics scanner market segmented by technology, accounting for 39.5% or $2.50 billion of the total in 2022. Going forward, the contraband detection equipment segment is expected to be the fastest growing segment in the narcotics scanner market segmented by technology, at a CAGR of 8.83% during 2022-2027.

North America was the largest region in the narcotics scanner market, accounting for 35.3% or $2.23 billion of the total in 2022. It was followed by Asia Pacific, Western Europe and then the other regions. Going forward, the fastest-growing regions in the narcotics scanner market will be Asia Pacific and North America where growth will be at CAGRs of 10.6% and 8.4% respectively. These will be followed by Western Europe and Eastern Europe where the markets are expected to grow at CAGRs of 7.5% and 5.7% respectively.

The global narcotics scanner market is fairly fragmented, with a few large players operating in the market. The top ten competitors in the market made up to 19.0% of the total market in 2022. The market fragmentation can be attributed to the presence of large number of small players in different geographies. Leidos Holdings, Inc was the largest competitor with a 5.5% share of the market, followed by OSI Systems Inc with 4.7%, Smiths Group plc with 2.4%, Tsinghua Tongfang Co.,Ltd with 2.3%, Teledyne Technologies Incorporated with 1.5%, ThermoFisher Scientific Inc with 1.0%, Bruker Corporation with 0.6%, Astrophysics Inc with 0.5%, Chemring Group PLC with 0.3% and Aventura Technologies Inc with 0.1%.

The top opportunities in the narcotics scanner market segmented by product type will arise in the tabletop scanner segment, which will gain $1.29 billion of global annual sales by 2027. The top opportunities in the narcotics scanner market segmented by technology will arise in the ion mobility spectrum technology segment, which will gain $1.27 billion of global annual sales by 2027. The top opportunities in the narcotics scanner market segmented by end-user will arise in the airport segment, which will gain $1.20 billion of global annual sales by 2027. The narcotics scanner market size will gain the most in USA at $966.8 million.

Market-trend-based strategies for the narcotics scanner market include integration of mass spectrometer technology for narcotics analysis, innovative and advanced product solutions with focus on optimizing performance of scanners, introduction of AI based cargo scanners for automatic detection of illicit substances, development of handheld narcotics detectors for quick detection, strategic partnerships and collaborations to improve drug detection capabilities.

Player-adopted strategies in the narcotics scanner market include focus on strategic acquisitions, focus on enhancing its operational capabilities through securing new contracts, focuses on strengthening its business operations through upgrading and launching its products and solutions.

To take advantage of the opportunities, the analyst recommends the narcotics scanner companies to focus on new product launches, focus on technologically advanced product solutions to optimize performance of scanners, focus on introduction of AI based cargo scanners for automatic detection of illicit substances, focus on development of handheld narcotics detectors for quick detection, expand in emerging markets, continue to focus on developed markets, focus on strategic partnerships and collaborations, provide competitively priced offerings, continue to use B2B promotions, continue to participate in events and conferences and focus on fast-growing end-users.