Inter-regional twinning mission for capacity building and operational cooperation between West Africa and Southeast Asia to address NPS and synthetic opioids trafficking
12-16 June 2023, Lagos, Nigeria - The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB's) Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances (GRIDS) Programme organized an Inter-regional twinning programme with the support of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) of Nigeria. The event brought together seven (7) representatives from Nigeria and Ghana in West Africa; and six (6) from Thailand and Viet Nam in the Southeast Asia region to strengthen information sharing and development of actionable intelligence among law enforcement officers.
The mission was planned in response to the emerging shipments of Khat from Southeast Asia (even though the plant-based substance is not native to the region) to other parts of the world, as well as the increasing number of arrests of West African nationals for offenses linked to the illegal trafficking of NPS and synthetic opioids. The event provided a valuable opportunity for law enforcement officers from these countries to share information and experiences through presentations and site visits.
Photo: The opening ceremony of the event
In his welcome remarks, Mr. Amari Bedi Olivier, the GRIDS Regional Technical Officers (RTO) for West and Central Africa, emphasized that the mission was the "first inter-regional [event] between West Africa and Southeast Asia regions with the aim to strengthen capacity of law enforcement and regulatory officers of the two regions to deal with NPS, synthetic opioids, and to promote effective cooperations between West Africa and Southeast Asia especially between Nigeria and Ghana with Thailand and Vietnam to foster more effective cooperation and intelligence sharing among countries in these regions".
During the four-day mission, Mr. Olivier and the GRIDS RTO for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Nguyen Duc Long, provided an introduction to the GRIDS programme, its main strategy to address new psychoactive substances (NPS) and non-medical synthetic opioids, as well as an overview of the situation in each region. Experts from the participating countries also presented their current efforts in tackling the problem of NPS trafficking in their regions.
Photo: Participants presented their effort to address NPS, synthetic opioids in their countries
Photo: DEA colleague shared emerging situation in the US
The participants were provided with refresher training sessions on capacity building to effectively use IONICS and the GRIDS Intelligence HD targeting platforms for information-sharing and investigative purposes.
GRIDS RTO for West and Central Africa provided training on GRIDS Intelligence HD
The participants also received training on awareness-raising and safe interdiction approaches to effectively respond to the threat of NPS, non-medical synthetic opioids, and other fentanyl-related substances in the regions.
Photo: Participants using protective gears and test kits
As part of the mission, GRIDS also facilitated field visits to strategical control points including the Lagos International Airport, an express service company, and the new seaport.
Photo: Field visit to UPS company and NDLEA at the airport
The mission provided a rare opportunity for the four (4) countries to interact with each other and benefit from their experience for better inter-regional operational collaboration in the monitoring of illicit trafficking in NPS in both regions. All countries agreed to regularly inform each other of suspicious shipments of Khat and other dangerous substances to stop their illicit trafficking.
In his remarks during the opening ceremony, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), lauding the initiative of the INCB, mentioned that the mission was "timely considering the proliferation of new psychotropic substances, NPS, non-medical synthetic opioids, and other dangerous substances." He further added that the "multi-agency training on real-time communication, intelligence tools, awareness raising, and the handling of dangerous substances, [...] aimed at intercepting narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances […] will help to strengthen the capacity of law enforcement and regulatory officers across regions and promote faster and more effective cooperation among participating countries." To ensure a successful mission, he mobilized the support of his entire administration.
Photo: Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, presided over the opening ceremony
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.
The GRIDS Programme is supported by the Governments of Canada, Japan, and the United States. This event was made possible through generous support from the Government of United States.
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