Training on INCB GRIDS Intelligence Tools, Awareness Raising, and Opioids Safe Interdiction Approaches for intelligence purposes for drug law enforcement and regulatory officers of Lao PDR
Pakse City, Lao PDR, 29-31 July 2024 - The International Narcotics Control Board's (INCB's) Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances (GRIDS) Programme conducted a two-and-a-half-day training on the INCB GRIDS intelligence tools, awareness raising, and opioids safe interdiction approaches for intelligence purposes for law enforcement and regulatory officers of Lao PDR in Pakse from 29-31 July 2024.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Fumio Ito, Project Manager of Project ION (International Operations on New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)), drawing attention to the growing prevalence of NPS and non-medical synthetic opioids in Southeast Asia, underscored the critical role of intelligence sharing and importance of safe handling practices when dealing with these dangerous substances.
The training, attended by 15 officers from the Police and the Customs, offered participants a comprehensive overview of the GRIDS programme, its strategic initiatives, and various activities carried out to address the challenges associated with the trafficking of new psychoactive substances, non-medical synthetic opioids, and their related chemicals.
The representatives of the two participating agencies provided national updates on the latest trends and seizures of dangerous substances and discussed opportunities for inter-agency cooperation to prevent their trafficking in the country. Mr. Ziming Wang, GRIDS Project Associate, led in-depth training sessions on IONICS, the Project ION Incident Communication System for sharing real-time information related to the seizures of the NPS and other dangerous substances; and on GRIDS Intelligence HD, the advanced targeting system that transforms IONICS communications into actionable intelligence for daily operations and risk-profiling.
Photo: Participants doing practical exercises on IONICS
Following this, Mr. Sahil Sood, GRIDS Project Associate, who delivered a presentation on NPS identification and their health harms them on Day 1, conducted special sessions on the identification of NPS and on the safe handling and proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the officers to enhance their awareness of the safety measures when dealing with opioids and other dangerous substances.
Photo: Participants practicing how to put a person suffering from opioid overdose in recovery position
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 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