Energy Control 2026: how to send drug samples to Spain's testing service

Spain runs one of the best drug-checking services in the world: Energy Control, a project of the ABD (Asociación Bienestar y Desarrollo) NGO which has been analysing substances since 1999. Unlike the Dutch DIMS, it is not free and not state-owned, but it is anonymous, professional, and anyone in Europe can mail a sample in. That last point makes it the most accessible analytical service on the continent if you do not live in the Netherlands.

This guide walks through everything you need to know before sending your first sample: cost, what they analyse, how to mail it, what anonymity guarantees you have, and how to read the result.

Energy Control in one sentence

It is a drug analysis service that combines festival outreach, fixed locations in Barcelona, Madrid, Málaga and other Spanish cities, and a postal channel for anyone who cannot show up in person. Analysis uses gas chromatography / mass spectrometry (GC-MS), the international gold standard for substance identification and quantification, the same method police forensics labs use, except here they are working for you.

What it costs

The postal service costs €50 per sample in 2026. Walk-in basic analysis at a Spanish location is around €25. Regular users who submit several samples a year can get bulk pricing. Payment is by bank transfer using an anonymous reference code so your name is never tied to the analysis.

It sounds expensive, but think about what you are buying: certainty about what is going into your body. If you are spending €60 on a gram of cocaine, spending another €50 to know what is in it is reasonable.

What they analyse

GC-MS gives you two things no reagent test can:

1. Which active substances are present — not just whether it is MDMA or cocaine, but also whether there are adulterants, related compounds or entirely different chemicals.
2. How much of each, as a percentage (for powders and crystal) or in milligrams (for pills and tablets).

For cocaine, a typical report reads: 65% cocaine + 18% levamisole + 8% phenacetin + 4% caffeine + 5% unidentified. For an MDMA pill: 178 mg MDMA + 4 mg caffeine. For 2C-B, ketamine, MDMA crystal, amphetamine, mephedrone, or novel RCs: identity + purity + by-products.

What they do not analyse

• Cannabis is excluded from postal analysis in most years (it has appeared in festival outreach occasionally).
• Whole botanical products (mushrooms, ayahuasca brews) are hard to quantify on GC-MS; extracts work better.
• Anabolic steroids and pharmaceutical drugs sit outside Energy Control's scope; private labs exist for that.
• Routine fentanyl strips on cocaine are not part of the standard panel because the Spanish market has not been broadly affected by stimulant fentanyl contamination. If you have specific suspicions, request it explicitly in the sample observations.

How to send a sample by post

The step-by-step:

Step 1 — Request through their website

At energycontrol.org there is an analysis section. You fill in an anonymous form indicating which substance you think it is, where you obtained it (no names), colour, shape, approximate weight, and any observations. You receive a reference code as your unique identifier.

Step 2 — Prepare the sample

• For powders and crystal: 25-50 mg, the size of a pinhead. No more is needed.
• For pills: a whole pill, or two from the same batch if you have several.
• For LSD blotters: a complete tab.
• For liquids (LSD liquid, GHB): contact them first to confirm shipping protocol.

Wrap the sample in two small sealed zip bags inside a padded envelope, with the reference code clearly written on the inner bag. No name, no return address. Just the code.

Step 3 — Mail by regular post

Yes, regular post works. Energy Control receives at a fixed address in Barcelona. Do not use tracked / registered mail that requires ID; that defeats anonymity. A small parcel does not draw attention, and even in the unlikely case it is opened, the quantity is so small it falls well below trafficking thresholds in Spain.

Step 4 — Wait for the result

The usual turnaround is 5 to 10 working days from when they receive the sample. You receive a PDF at the anonymous email you provided (use a ProtonMail or other account not linked to your name).

Step 5 — Read the result properly

The report is clear: percentage of each component, identification of by-products, and sometimes technician comments on the find. If anything is unclear, email the contact address and they reply.

Anonymity and legality

Energy Control does not share data with police. The service operates under the harm-reduction framework recognised by the Catalan, Madrid and Andalusian regional governments. The quantity sent is so small that it falls well below trafficking thresholds, and Spanish case law treats these mailings as personal use, not commercial activity.

To be clear: nobody guarantees that if the post office opens your parcel and a civil guard officer decides to look, there will be zero consequences. What there is, is 30 years of operating history without Energy Control being the source of any criminal exposure for its users. It is a professional service, not a trick.

Festivals and walk-in sites

If you live in Barcelona, Madrid, Málaga, Sevilla or nearby, you have fixed walk-in locations with weekly opening hours. They explain results, give reagent-test indications on the spot, and forward to the lab if quantitative analysis is needed. Addresses and hours are on their website; we do not list them here because they change.

During festival season (Sónar, Primavera Sound, Monegros, BBK Live, Boombastic, and many more) Energy Control runs sample stands. Drop off a sample, get qualitative results in 30 minutes. Free at festivals that fund the service.

What to do with the result

The typical scenarios:

• Substance as expected, medium-to-high purity, no concerning adulterants. Reduce dose if it is purer than you assumed. Cocaine at 80% doses very differently from cocaine at 30%.
• Substance as expected but with problematic adulterants (lots of levamisole, lots of phenacetin). Read our cocaine adulterants in Spain guide and decide whether it is worth using.
• Substance not what you thought (sold as MDMA, lab found methamphetamine). Do not take. Confront the seller, but do not expect a refund.
• Unknown RC or weird mixture. Research the exact substance before taking anything. PsychonautWiki is a sensible starting point.

Comparison with DIMS and other European services

Energy Control is the only European service that accepts postal samples from any country, which makes it the default option for anyone who does not live near a walk-in site.

Practical tips

• Do not send the last gram you own. Send a sample from a new batch before buying the big quantity. If you ordered half a gram, mail 25 mg to the lab and hold the rest. If the result is bad, all you lose is the €50 analysis fee.
• Do not trust smell or appearance. The whitest-looking powder can be 20% purity.
• If you buy from the same dealer regularly, one analysis every couple of months is enough to confirm the supply is stable.
• Keep previous result PDFs. They give you longitudinal data on your usual supplier's quality.

For users outside Spain

Yes, you can mail samples from France, Italy, Germany, Portugal or any European country. Ordinary international post reaches Barcelona within 5-10 days. Payment is by SEPA transfer. Communication works in Spanish or English equally well.

FAQ

Is Energy Control actually anonymous?

Yes. They do not ask for ID, real name, or a physical address. Just an anonymous email for the result PDF and a reference code. Energy Control does not share data with police and operates inside the harm-reduction framework recognised by Spanish regional governments.

How much does Energy Control postal analysis cost?

€50 per sample in 2026. Basic walk-in analysis is around €25. At festivals that fund the service, qualitative analysis is free.

How long do results take?

Five to ten working days from the time they receive your sample in Barcelona. Results are sent as a PDF to the anonymous email you provided.

What substances can Energy Control analyse?

Cocaine, MDMA (pills and crystal), amphetamine, methamphetamine, ketamine, 2C-B, LSD, mephedrone, MDA, GHB, research chemicals and mixtures. Cannabis and pharmaceutical drugs are outside the standard postal service.

How much sample do I need to send?

For powders and crystal, 25-50 mg (pinhead size). For pills, one whole pill or two from the same batch. For LSD blotters, one full tab. More quantity does not improve accuracy and increases customs risk.

Is it safe to mail drugs through the Spanish postal system?

The quantity is so small that it falls below trafficking thresholds under Spanish criminal law. Energy Control has been receiving samples via post for 30+ years without users facing legal trouble from the mailing. Still, use regular post and never registered mail with ID.

Do they detect fentanyl in cocaine samples?

Not as part of the routine panel, because the Spanish market is not broadly affected by stimulant fentanyl contamination. If you have specific suspicions, mention it in the submission form and they add it to the analysis.

Can I send samples from outside Spain?

Yes. Energy Control receives samples from across Europe. Ordinary international post takes 5-10 days. Payment is by SEPA transfer and communication works in Spanish or English.

How do I interpret the purity percentage?

Cocaine at 60-80% is good purity in the current market. Below 40% is usually mediocre and heavily adulterated. MDMA pills usually fall between 80 mg and 220 mg; anything above 180 mg should be divided. See also our cocaine adulterants guide.

What do I do if the analysis says it is not what I thought?

Do not take it. If you were sold MDMA and it is methamphetamine, a cathinone, or an unknown substance, the pharmacological profile and risk are different. Dispose of the substance or hand it to Energy Control for further analysis. Warn anyone you know who has the same batch.