Almaty, Kazakhstan, 17–18 June 2026
The International Narcotics Control Board’s (INCB) Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances (GRIDS) Programme, in cooperation with Kazakhstan’s National Interagency Targeting Centre, convened a two-day Regional Expert Group Meeting (EGM) on New Psychoactive Substances (NPS). The meeting brought together more than 40 participants from six countries of Central Asia and Pakistan, including government authorities, international organizations and representatives of Kazakhstan’s private sector, to strengthen regional cooperation through promoting voluntary cooperation between governments and private sector and advancing coordinated responses to the growing threat posed by synthetic drugs and NPS.
The meeting provided a platform for government authorities and private sector partners to exchange experiences, discuss emerging threats and identify practical measures to strengthen voluntary public-private partnerships (PPPs) in preventing the trafficking of dangerous substances, drugs and their precursors. Participants shared good practices on preventing the diversion of chemicals and other legitimate products while facilitating legitimate trade and discussed how criminal networks exploit legitimate commercial services in the manufacture and trafficking of synthetic drugs and NPS.
The event was officially opened by senior representatives of the Government of Kazakhstan, including Mr. Sabit Nurlybay, Chairman of the Committee on Legal Statistics and Special Records of the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Mr. Eldar Abdikenov, Chairman of the Committee on Combating Drug Crime of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Opening remarks were also delivered by Ms. Youliana Sadowski, Country Director of the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Section at the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan, Mr. Makhmud Khamidov, Director of the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre (CARICC), and Mr. Fumio Ito, Manager of the INCB GRIDS Programme.
Throughout the meeting, government authorities from the participating countries shared national experiences, operational practices and challenges in addressing the trafficking of synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substances. Discussions highlighted successful regional initiatives, including Kazakhstan's experience in strengthening cooperation with industry, while INCB presented global tools, operational practices and voluntary cooperation mechanisms that complement national efforts. Participants also reviewed emerging threats related to non-scheduled substances, examined operational tools that have proven effective in disrupting trafficking networks and discussed practical approaches to strengthening information exchange and cooperation between competent authorities and the private sector.
A significant moment of the meeting was the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Committee on Legal Statistics and Special Records of the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the KAZKHIMIYA Chemical Industry Association. The agreement establishes a framework for analytical cooperation and joint efforts to enhance the security, transparency and responsible circulation of chemical substances in Kazakhstan, providing a practical example of voluntary cooperation between government and industry to prevent the diversion of chemicals.
Private sector participation from Kazakhstan featured prominently throughout the meeting. Representatives of Tañba, Kazakhstan’s Unified Operator for Product Marking and Traceability, presented the country's national marking and traceability system and demonstrated how unique Data Matrix codes contribute to supply chain transparency and the verification of legitimate pharmaceutical products. Through digital solutions such as the Naqty Ónim mobile application, consumers are able to verify information on medicines and strengthen confidence in the authenticity and legality of products available on the market.
Experts from CARICC presented regional initiatives developed jointly with UNODC to establish an Early Warning System for synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substances in Central Asia, as well as ongoing efforts aimed at addressing transnational drug threats through enhanced analytical cooperation and information exchange mechanisms. The meeting also benefited from contributions by the OSCE Programme Office in Astana, which emphasized the importance of coordinated regional responses and multi-stakeholder engagement in addressing evolving synthetic drug threats.
National counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan continued the exchange of national experiences during the second day of the meeting. Representatives of Kazakhstan’s private sector presented national legislative requirements governing the registration and accounting of chemical products and discussed opportunities to further strengthen cooperation between competent authorities and industry.
Participants were also introduced to innovative digital solutions developed by Kazakhstan’s National Interagency Targeting Centre, including the "Narsen" module and the Unified Intergovernmental Data Exchange Platform Project, which support intelligence-led approaches to detecting and disrupting illicit drug trafficking.
Prior to the discussion and adoption of recommendations, Mr. Rajesh Srivastava from the INCB Precursors Control Section presented the Board's tools and resources related to precursor chemicals and equipment used in illicit drug manufacture. The session highlighted the importance of voluntary public-private partnerships and introduced the Precursors Incident Communication System (PICS) and PEN Online, which facilitate international cooperation and help competent authorities prevent the diversion of precursor chemicals.
The meeting concluded with the adoption of practical recommendations aimed at strengthening regional cooperation, enhancing early warning capacities, improving information exchange and further promoting voluntary cooperation between governments and the private sector to prevent the diversion of chemicals and combat the trafficking of dangerous substances.
The Regional Expert Group Meeting demonstrated the value of sustained cooperation among governments, international organizations, law enforcement agencies and private sector partners. By fostering voluntary public-private partnerships, facilitating the exchange of regional experiences and promoting the use of INCB operational tools and resources, INCB GRIDS and the National Interagency Targeting Centre contributed to a more coordinated and proactive regional response to the growing threat posed by synthetic drugs, their precursors and new psychoactive substances.
The meeting was supported by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) of the U.S. Department of State, with participation from INL representatives based in Astana, Bishkek and Dushanbe, reaffirming the shared commitment of international partners to strengthening regional capacities to address emerging drug threats.
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