INCB organizes in Guatemala a training on safe handling and intelligence sharing on NPS, synthetic opioids and other dangerous substances, in collaboration with the RILO's regional office Central America
December 13 - 15 2022, Guatemala City, Guatemala - The International Narcotics Control Board's (INCB) Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substance (GRIDS) Programme conducted a training covering awareness raising, safe interdiction practices and information exchange through INCB's global communication systems on New Psychotropic Substances (NPS), synthetic opioids and other dangerous substances for Guatemalan authorities.
The objective of the training was to strengthen the capacity of participating officials in identifying and sharing relevant intelligence in addition to important techniques to detect, safely handle and interdict consignments of non-medical synthetic opioids and NPS. These activities equip participating officers with the skills to effectively respond to threats posed by these dangerous substances which may not be under international control.
The event was attended by 31 officials from law enforcement and regulatory agencies, nominated by the Central Customs of Guatemala, the General Sub-Directorate of Analysis of Anti-Narcotics Information (SGAIA), the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (INACIF) and the Executive Secretariat of the Commission Against Addictions and Illicit Drug Trafficking (SECCATID). Several of the officials present participated on behalf of the UNODC-WCO Global Container Program and the Regional Office of Central America (RILO CAM), who collaborated in the organization of the activity. The activity was inaugurated by the head of RILO CAM, Mr. Edwin Curtidor."
Image: Pills of the training, Customs and SGAIA presentations (above) and group work (below).
The Regional Technical Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean from the INCB GRIDS program, Ms. Marzia Deflorian, presented the latest trends in the trafficking of dangerous substances, including NPS, synthetic opioids, fentanyls and fentanyl-related substances. Participants received access to, and training on, the use of the Project ION Incident Communication System (IONICS) and the intelligence visualization tool, GRIDS Intelligence HD. Officers also received information on the safe handling of opioids and access to the online learning platform, GRIDS ELITE. During the first day of training, Central Customs of Guatemala and SGAIA presented data on the dismantling of illicit laboratories, seizures and common methods of concealment of dangerous substances found in the country in recent years.
The third day of the training was dedicated to field visits to the INACIF forensic laboratory and parts of the SGAIA facilities.
Image: Field visits to INACIF and part of the SGAIA facilities.
Walter Zuleta, Deputy Head of RILO CAM and Regulatory Supervisor of Customs Intelligence with SAT ¬¬Guatemala, commented on the activity "the RILO Central America Office is deeply grateful to the INCB through the GRIDS Programme, for the training received on New Psychotropic Substances and other dangerous substances through INCB's global communication systems, for Guatemalan officials from Customs, Anti-Narcotics Police, Forensic Laboratory, Secretariat and Commission against Addictions and Illicit Drug Trafficking. We firmly believe that the use of the IONICS tool as well as the intelligence analysis techniques through the GRIDS Intelligence Tool showed by Marzia Deflorian, will be of enormous help in the fight against these substances at the national and international level to ensure contact with other officials from various public institutions and being able to alert or be alerted of specific shipments or illicit trends between regions of the world. This training has been of vital importance in the communication and cooperation between agencies of the Guatemalan government, unifying efforts towards the same end, which will undoubtedly serve as a model for other Central American countries to follow."
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.
This event was organized in collaboration with RILO-Central America and was made possible through generous support from the United States of America's Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.
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