Partnerships and intelligence sharing capacity strengthening to counter dangerous substances trafficked throughout South-East Asia
Hanoi, Viet Nam, 2 December 2019, responding to Government's call to counter trafficking of new psychoactive substances (NPS), chemicals and non-scheduled dangerous substances, the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) with the support of the Government of Viet Nam held a 2-day training event to 18 specialized officers from 10 countries and international organizations to build capacity share real-time information between police, drug control and customs enforcement agencies from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam and UNODC.
Photo: Opening addresses by Deputy Director Pol. Sr. Col. Duc Binh Ciunter Narcotic Police Department of Viet Nam Ministry of Public Security
In his opening address, Police Senior Coronel Do Duc Binh, Deputy Director of Counter Narcotic Police Department of the Ministry of Public Security, noted the importance of INCB platforms to counter trafficking of new drugs and chemicals in South-East Asia and to, "strengthen international cooperation in relation to information exchange and handling of cases related to precursors and NPS."
The training builds Government and regional agencies' capacities to identify, interdict and exchange information and trafficking intelligence on non-scheduled substances like dangerous fentanyl-related analogues and related pre-precursors, through the global communication systems, IONICS and PICS. Mr. Fumio Ito, manager of INCB Project ION, stated that, "through our sharing global focal point network, INCB is uniquely positioned to monitor and provide real-time tracking of trafficking incidents occurring through the international post, express mail and courier services and freight forwarders, making this intelligence available to law and regulatory enforcement officers in real-time."
Photo: Photo: Officers received practical information about the threats and risks posed by non-scheduled dangerous substances by INCB's Fumio ITO
Officers learned about the changing NPS and precursors trafficking situation and the results of recent INCB coordinated Operation Fast Forward and were trained in intelligence sharing and how to operate INCB's global secure communication platforms to exchange information and receive alerts that support domestic and international investigations of emerging dangerous substances not internationally scheduled.
Photo: officers from 10 countries and international organizations participated in the training
The Board's global projects are responding to the 2018 United Nations General Assembly Resolution 73/192 , call for "International cooperation to address and counter the world drug problem", by responding to requests by Member States to enhance their law enforcement capacity to detect and identify new psychoactive substances and promote cross-border cooperation and information-sharing to through the use of the Board's specialized tools and projects.
The two-day specialist training utilized INCB's new rapid training approach for intelligence sharing, made possible through the generous support of the Government of Japan.
Click here to learn more about the Project ION
Click here to learn more about the OPIOIDS Project
Click here to learn more about the Project PRISM