INCB convenes 8th Postal Operational Meeting to tackle global trafficking of synthetic drugs by postal, express courier and air cargo services
Vienna, 3 October 2025 - The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) and the Universal Postal Union (UPU) hosted the 8th annual international operational expert meeting, referred to as POSTAL8, aimed at strengthening global efforts to stop the trafficking of dangerous synthetic drugs, opioids, and chemicals via postal, express courier, and air cargo services. The gathering convened over 100 officers, representing 46 governments, experts, industry leaders, and representatives from international organizations, including INTERPOL, the Universal Postal Union (UPU), and the World Customs Organization (WCO).
Photo: Opening keynote address by the INCB President, Prof. Sevil Atasoy
In her opening address, Prof. Sevil Atasoy, President of the International Narcotics Control Board, emphasized the critical need for sustained international cooperation across borders and sectors, and underscored the cruciality of public-private partnerships, intelligence sharing, and innovative tools like IONICS, which has now enabled the exchange of more than 120,000 incident reports globally.
Alongside INCB, UPU reaffirmed its long-term commitment to partnerships safeguarding global mail channels. In his opening remarks, Mark Heath, UPU Postal Operations and Security Expert, stressed the importance of collaboration, highlighting ongoing pilot testing of the Dangerous Goods Search Tool, which provides a proactive solution to stop postal system misuse by traffickers. He underscored UPU's commitment to working closely with INCB and other global partners in order to mitigate threats and secure supply chains that underpin global commerce and communications.
Photo: Opening remarks by Mark Heath, Universal Postal Union Postal Operations and Security Expert
Mr. Howard Solomon, Chargé d'Affaires ad interim, Permanent Mission of the United States of America to the United Nations (Vienna) thanked the participants for their engagement and emphasized the need for collective commitment to strengthen cooperation across government agencies and private sector partners in order to combat the trafficking of synthetic drugs, new psychoactive substances, opioids, and related chemicals via postal, courier, and air cargo channels. His address highlighted how successful outcomes could be achieved by sharing intelligence, adopting technological and operational best practices, and working together to protect supply chains and communities worldwide.
Photo: Opening of INCB-UPU 8th Postal Operational Meeting to Tackle Global Trafficking of Synthetic Drugs by Postal, Express Courier and Air Cargo Services
The INCB Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances (GRIDS) Programme and Project ION and OPIOIDS Project and Public-Private Partnerships initiatives support the development of Government capabilities that respond to changing trafficking, illicit manufacture, marketing and sales of NPS, non-medical synthetic opioids, and fentanyl-related substances by facilitating real-time information exchange, intelligence development and actions that support the interdiction of dangerous substances.
This GRIDS Programme event was made possible through generous support from the Government of the United States Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement.