INCB Empowers Vietnamese Customs Officers with Intelligence Tools, Awareness, and Safe Interdiction Techniques to Counter Emerging Synthetics
Da Nang, Viet Nam, July 25 - 26, 2023 - The International Narcotics Control Board's (INCBs) Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances (GRIDS) Programme organized a two-day training event focused on emerging synthetic drugs interdiction approaches for Intelligence purposes for 21 Customs officers from the Anti-smuggling and Investigation Department - Central Branch as well as from Hue, Da Nang, and Quang Nam provinces Viet Nam, and Viet Nam Customs Academy. The training also welcomed the participation of experts from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and representatives from the United States Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL).
Photo: Multiagency group exercises on practical intelligence development
The training provided the participants a background of global context of new emerging psychotropic substances (NPS) and non-medical synthetic opoids, and various support under GRIDS programme to tackle these dangerous substances, as well as specific approaches from the U.S. in handling fentanyls. The participants received access and training on INCB's Project ION Incident Communication System (IONICS) and the GRIDS Intelligence targeting tools to support domestic and international trafficking investigations using real-time information and intelligence exchange capacbilities of the systems.
Photo: Officers receive access and training on INCB state-of-the-art targeting tools in Vietnamese
Officers receive personal protective equipment and sensitive field drug testing kits along with science-based training on their appropriate use, matched to the realities of the field environment where the frontline officers operate. These resources were supplemented with field guides, awareness posters and access to the ELITE virtual training environment.
The Board's Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances (GRIDS) Programme and Project ION and OPIOIDS Project support Governments' capacity to respond to changing trafficking, illicit manufacture, marketing and sales of NPS, non-medical synthetic opioids and fentanyl-related substances by providing real-time communication, facilitating information exchange and intelligence development that interdict distribution of dangerous substances at the source.
These events were made possible through generous support from the United States Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL).
Click here to learn more about the GRIDS Programme
Click here to learn more about the OPIOIDS Project
Click here to learn more about the Project ION