Bangkok, Thailand 22-26 September 2025
The GRIDS Programme in Southeast Asia, through its Project Associate based in Bangkok, supported the delivery of a specialized course on diversion investigations at the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA). The training was led by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and equipped participants with the skills to identify, investigate, and dismantle dangerous substance suppliers and distributors linked to illicit drug production.
The course brought together thirty-nine (39) participants from six countries across Southeast Asia - Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Timor-Leste. Participants included narcotics investigators, regulatory officials, prosecutors, chemists, and forensic specialists, reflecting the multidisciplinary approach required to counter the threat posed by synthetic drugs across the region.
Training topics included drug manufacturing processes, handling, diversion methods, investigative and auditing techniques, and international controlled deliveries. A multi-phase practical scenario allowed participants to apply these skills in simulated investigations, building confidence in detecting and disrupting diversion networks.
As part of the programme, the GRIDS Project Associate delivered sessions on online investigation techniques, open-source intelligence (OSINT), and operational security (OPSEC) fundamentals. Participants were also introduced to INCB's intelligence tools - IONICS and GRIDS Intelligence HD - and to Scanning Novel Opioids Online Platform (SNOOP), which monitors online vendors of fentanyl-related and other dangerous substances of concern. Participants actively utilized SNOOP in team-based, hands-on exercises with simulated data to identify vendors operating in their own countries, demonstrating the practical application of OSINT and OPSEC skills in modern drug investigations.
This initiative directly supports regional efforts to combat transnational organized crime and synthetic drug production. By enhancing investigative capacity and fostering cross-border cooperation, the training reaffirmed the United States' commitment to working with regional partners to address the evolving challenges posed by synthetic drugs and related substances diversion. The GRIDS Programme welcomed the opportunity to contribute to these U.S.-led efforts, highlighting the importance of advanced technologies in strengthening drug law enforcement and promoting operational cooperation in Southeast Asia and beyond.
The Board's Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances (GRIDS) Programme operates under the International Narcotics Control Board's unique Article 35 (1961) treaty mandate that supports Governments' capabilities to exchange information on trafficking, illicit manufacture, marketing and sales of NPS, synthetic opioids, fentanyls and related chemicals, by providing real-time communication, and capabilities to facilitate information exchange and intelligence development with the aim to interdict distribution of dangerous substances.
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