INCB DEA Joint Training of International Diversion Investigations Course in Southeast Asia
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.
Photo: GRIDS Project Associate Sahil Sood leading the session on INCB intelligence tools
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.
Photo: Participants using SNOOP for investigating dangerous substance vendors operating in their countries
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 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.
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Click here to learn more about the OPIOIDS Project
Click here to learn more about the Project ION