Regional Workshop on the Prevention and Interdiction of Synthetic Opioids and NPS through Sea Freights convened by the International Narcotics Control Board, the GCC-Criminal Information Center to Combat Drugs and Dubai Police in Dubai, UAE
Photo: Workshop Participants Group photo
Dubai, 13-15 February 2024 - The Regional Workshop on the Prevention and Interdiction of Synthetic Opioids and New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) through Sea Freights took place. Organized by the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), the GCC-Criminal Information Center to Combat Drugs, and the Dubai Police, this gathering brought together 115 participants from 21 countries across the globe.
Representatives from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, The Arab office on Drugs and Crime, The Arab Republic of Egypt, The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, The Islamic Republic of Mauritania, The Kingdom of Bahrain, The Kingdom of Morocco, The Kingdom of Norway, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, The Kingdom of Spain, The Regional Intelligence Liaison Office in the Middle East (RILO ME), The Republic of Iraq, The Republic of Türkiye, The State of Kuwait, The State of Libya, The State of Qatar, The Sultanate of Oman, The United Arab Emirates, The United Kingdom, and The United States of America, alongside private sector companies such as Maersk, Egyptian International Shipping Agencies & Services, and Transmar International Shipping Company, assembled in Dubai, each contributing their expertise and insights to the collective effort against drug trafficking.
Photo: Ahmed El Deib, Regional Technical officer covering MENA region for the GRIDS Programme presenting GRIDS work in the region and the importance of cooperation
Since 2018 the INCB Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substance (GRIDS) Programme has organized over 25 meetings on public-private partnerships for the prevention of NPS and synthetic opioids trafficking, in person and virtually. While the GRIDS Programme's meetings have covered industries vulnerable to the misuse for dangerous substance trafficking, including postal and courier services, the meeting was the first meeting organized by the GRIDS Programme to discuss the misuse of sea freights. Over the course of three days, participants engaged in a series of interactive sessions, covering a wide spectrum of topics ranging from the latest trends in drug smuggling to innovative detection and interdiction methods, and actual modalities of public-private partnerships. In the course of discussion on public-private partnerships modalities, Fumio Ito, the GRIDS Programme's NPS Project Manager, emphasized that information sharing between governments and private sector must be in two ways. Throughout the event, the emphasis on collaboration especially between governments and sea freight service providers, best practices and knowledge-sharing resonated deeply among participants.
Photo: Fumio Ito, NPS Project Manager for the GRIDS Programme highlights the importance of information sharing between governments and private sector must be in two ways
As the workshop drew to a close, participants departed with a renewed sense of purpose and commitment to their shared mission. Armed with new insights, strategies, and connections, they returned to their respective countries, ready to implement effective measures to prevent the spread of synthetic opioids and NPS.
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 the generous support from Global Affairs Canada's Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program.
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