While IR, NMR and Raman spectroscopy are able to analyse known and unknown target compounds, their need for visible amounts of the target compound makes them unsuitable for trace analysis. Therefore, these techniques are not considered for the current evaluation and subsequent IDT, IMS and ambient pressure laser desorption hyphenated mass spectrometry (APLD-MS) are investigated. In addition, these techniques can be seen as representatives for other techniques of a similar complexity in each case. IDTs are fast to use, lightweight and straightforward. They are a well-established method and frequently used in laboratories, driver controls and can even be used by unskilled persons at workplaces [5]. Furthermore, they enable a fast, easy to use and affordable analysis for specific target compounds. In addition, the result interpretation is straightforward. Possible drawbacks are that mainly sum-parameters results are measured and a linear increase in cost and time if multiple samples should be analysed. IMS with thermal desorption represents portable state-of-the-art tools for surface analysis. It is an approved technique, which is applied for a long time, benefits from fast analysis time and is capable of detecting even traces of a target compound. Most relevant drawbacks are a low resolution, which leads to relative high false alert rates and easy overload which leads to time intensive cleaning [11]. Current research for on-site equipment is done in the field of direct desorption MS [9]. Within this field, the coupling of a desorption unit and an MS creates a system that combines benefits from both techniques. While a direct desorption allows for fast sample throughput, the MS enables the investigation of complex samples. For this coupling, multiple techniques are under investigation. In addition, some of these systems also allow to directly investigate suspicious surfaces. This further speeds up sample throughput and allow for spatially resolved surface investigations. The possibility to investigate only small areas of a given surface and bypass sampling swabs, also allows impression/mark preserving analysis to allow further investigations later on. This work focuses on the coupling of MS with laser desorption at ambient pressure, because no auxiliary media, such as gases or liquids, are needed and former research indicates the usefulness of this technique for such applications [removed due to journal double-blind policy] [12; 13; 14]. In addition, APLD-MS as the third technique for on-site detection, is seen as an example of a possible future technique that could be implemented for routine analysis and demonstrated promising results in this field of application. While all three techniques were examined for these target compounds,literature lacks of direct comparisons of on-site samples and practical evaluation over different technology levels. Therefore, the aim of this publication is to compare IDT, IMS, and APLD-MS for trace analysis of amphetamine, methamphetamine and MDMA, intermediates, such as N-formylamphetamine (NFA) that are carried over to the main product [3], and drug precursors in clandestine laboratories. A benefit of these techniques is their easy on-site usability, compared to other techniques of their technology level. The limits of detection (LODs) were determined, real case scenario samples from former drug synthesis and seized clandestine laboratories are investigated. These samples demonstrate target analytes on complex matrices, resulting from on-site sampling. These real case scenarios aim to support the comparability of the investigated techniques on-site.