Licensing and purchasing of precursors for explosive substances

For two years now, shops have been registering every purchase of precursors by private individuals in the fedpol information system. The first conclusion: the technical implementation of the law is going well.

Precursors are chemical substances that are found in a variety of everyday products, such as hydrogen peroxide for disinfecting swimming pools, or ammonium nitrate, which is used as a fertiliser. At first glance, these substances appear harmless, but on closer inspection they can be very dangerous. This is because in a certain concentration and dose, they can be used to produce explosives.

If this production takes place in an improvised laboratory outside of industrial production, the product is referred to as a ‘homemade explosive’ (HME). HMEs can be used by terrorists and members of criminal gangs to carry out attacks or blow open ATMs, for example. HMEs also pose the risk that they will explode during the manufacturing process, polluting the environment in the vicinity of the production site and endangering members of the emergency services who have to secure the area and remove the explosive remains. Numerous incidents in Switzerland have highlighted this danger.

In order to prevent the misuse of precursors and the associated risks, a federal licence is now required in order to purchase precursors in certain concentrations. This regulation came into force in 2023 with the new law on precursors for explosive substances (available in German, French and Italian).

In 2024, the number of purchase licences issued was significantly lower: 719 (compared to 2,449 in the previous year). The reason for this is the three-year validity of the licence, which makes it possible to purchase precursors without having to submit a new application for each transaction. Persons who were granted a licence in 2023 do not need to apply for a new one in 2024. Nevertheless, shops have been registering every purchase involving precursors by private individuals in the fedpol information system. This makes these products and purchases more easily traceable: a decisive step towards greater safety for the population.

The legislation on precursors is being implemented as planned, from the granting of purchase licences to the registration of transactions and the monitoring of sales outlets. In 2024, five criminal cases were opened, most of which were due to ignorance of the new legislation.