Illegal production aimed at serial production of ready-to-use narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances or their analogues (hereinafter referred to as drugs), underlies the whole variety of subsequent illegal actions related to their illegal circulation. Within the framework of the paper, based on the study of some key elements of the forensic characteristics, current trends in the illegal production of drugs, which acquire all the features of a high-tech and science-intensive business, are considered. Examples from investigative and judicial practice are given. The methodological basis comprises general scientific and specific scientific research methods, including the analysis of empirical material, i.e. the study of statistical data of the Main Information and Analytical Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, law enforcement practice materials, data from monitoring systems and information sources of international anti-drug structures — the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, International Narcotics Control Board. Based on the study presented by the author, the main trends of the problem under study are formulated. The practical significance of the study is determined by the possibility of its use in the practice of investigating the category of criminal cases under consideration.