FORWARD for Enforcement Strengthens Global Capacity in Synthetic Drug and Chemical Counter-Trafficking
Bangkok, 22 November 2024 - The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances (GRIDS) Programme successfully hosted an intensive leadership development and technical capacity-building event aimed at enhancing global enforcement capabilities in combating synthetic drug and chemical trafficking.
The Fostering Opportunities and Resources for Women's Advancement, Recognition, and Development (FORWARD) for Enforcement event was a five-day intensive training program designed to enhance operational capacity among enforcement professionals. It provided specialized training for over 50 participants from law enforcement, regulatory agencies, drug control bodies, and postal security services. Representatives came from Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, Ghana, Maldives, Mexico, Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago, Thailand, Türkiye, the United States of America, and Viet Nam, as well as organizations such as the Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS), the Colombo Plan, International Association of Police, and the Universal Postal Union. The event was supported by the Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Women's Leadership Fellowship Program.
In her opening video address, Ms. Debbie Seguin, Assistant Director for Commercial Disruption and International Relations, United States Office of National Drug Control Policy, underscored the importance of strengthening enforcement capabilities to effectively combat drug trafficking. FORWARD for Enforcement aims to equip professionals with the critical knowledge, skills, and operational tools necessary to respond to evolving trafficking threats.
A key component of the five-day event was practical, hands-on training in real-time interdiction and intelligence-sharing tools. Participants engaged in scenario-based exercises using the IONICS Suite of counter-trafficking tools, including CHEMPROFILER for border detection. Officers were provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) and synthetic opioid drug testing kits, and trained in safe interdiction techniques for handling dangerous substances while optimizing intelligence-sharing for enforcement operations.
Photo: Alisha Bleecker provides remarks on behalf of the United States Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs during the opening
This initiative offers a global platform for enhancing technical expertise, operational coordination, and cross-border cooperation in the fight against synthetic drug and chemical trafficking. By combining leadership training with tactical enforcement strategies, FORWARD for Enforcement strengthens the global enforcement community's capacity to address emerging drug threats effectively.
Photo: Participants receive personal protective equipment and drug testing kits for synthetic opioids while practicing safe interdiction techniques using the IONICS Suite of counter-trafficking tools.
The event, hosted under the GRIDS Programme, is part of INCB's broader efforts to translate high-level strategies into actionable enforcement solutions. By bridging knowledge gaps, providing essential resources, and fostering collaboration, FORWARD for Enforcement empowers professionals in drug control and security sectors to enhance their operational impact.
The Board's Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances (GRIDS) Programme and Project ION and OPIOIDS Project and it's Public-Private Partnerships initiative support Governments' capacity to respond to changing trafficking, illicit manufacture, marketing and sales of emerging synthetic drugs, dangerous new psychoactive substances (NPS) including synthetic opioids, fentanyls and their related chemicals and equipment, by facilitating real-time information exchange, intelligence development and actions that interdict distribution of dangerous substances.
The GRIDS Programme is supported by the Governments of Japan and the United States. This event 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