Tamper-Evident Sealing
Definition
Packaging closure that makes any opening of the package visible: heat-sealed bags, security adhesive tape with a void pattern that transfers on lifting, or crimp-sealed glass vials. The sealing mechanism must render silent tampering impossible.
- Methods
- Heat-sealed bags, void-pattern security tape, crimp-sealed vials
- Requirement
- Silent tampering must be impossible
- Field
- Chemical evidence packaging and chain of custody
Common questions
What is the difference between tamper-evident and tamper-proof packaging in evidence handling?+
Tamper-evident packaging does not physically prevent someone from opening it, it only guarantees that any opening leaves a visible, permanent mark such as a torn void pattern or broken crimp seal, whereas true tamper-proof packaging aims to prevent access altogether; evidence packaging standards generally require the former, not the latter, since forensic evidence must eventually be opened for analysis anyway.
Why is heat-sealing preferred over ordinary adhesive closure for some chemical evidence?+
Heat-sealed bags fuse the material itself rather than relying on an adhesive bond that can sometimes be lifted and reapplied without visible damage, giving a more reliable guarantee that any reopening will visibly tear or deform the seal rather than leave it looking intact.
How does the choice of sealing method affect chain-of-custody documentation?+
Each seal type generates a distinct expected appearance, such as a specific void pattern or an intact crimp, so the person sealing the evidence documents that expected state, and every subsequent custodian checks and records whether the seal still matches, creating a verifiable record independent of memory or trust alone.
Related terms
- ASTM E1492
- Standard Practice for Receiving, Documenting, Storing, and Retrieving Evidence in a Forensic Science Laboratory: establishes container requirements for fire debris (metal can...
- BSA 2023 (Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023)
- India's evidence law that replaced the Indian Evidence Act 1872, governing the admissibility of documents and expert opinions in Indian courts; together...
- Chain of Custody (CoC)
- The documented sequence of individuals who had possession of, access to, or control over a physical exhibit from the moment of its...
- Court Sample
- In India under the NDPS (Seizure, Storage, Sampling and Disposal) Rules 2014, a duplicate sealed sample drawn at the time of seizure...
- DEA Form DEA-7
- The US Drug Enforcement Administration's Report of Drug Property Collected, Purchased or Seized: the primary chain-of-custody document that records every custodian, transfer...
- FSR Codes of Practice and Conduct
- Mandatory requirements issued by the UK Forensic Science Regulator under the Forensic Science Regulator Act 2021, governing exhibit management, method validation, contamination...
- Mahazar (Panchnama)
- In Indian criminal procedure, a document drawn at the time of search and seizure in the presence of independent witnesses (Panchas), recording...
- Permeability (Packaging)
- The rate at which molecules of a gas or vapour pass through a solid membrane. Polyethylene has significant permeability to volatile organic...
- TWGFEX / SWGMAT
- Technical Working Group for Fire and Explosion Investigation (now the OSAC Ignitable Liquids, Explosives, and Gunshot Residue Subcommittee): the US body that...