Bangkok, Thailand, 8-12 June 2026
The GRIDS Programme in Southeast Asia, through its Regional Technical Officer (RTO) for Southeast and East Asia and the Pacific based in Bangkok supported the delivery of a specialized advanced course on narcotics investigations held at the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA). The training, led by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), equipped participants with the skills to identify, investigate, and dismantle dangerous substance suppliers and distributors linked to illicit drug production.
The course brought together twenty-four (24) officers from five countries across Southeast Asia – Indonesia, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Viet Nam, and Thailand. Participants included narcotics investigators and police officers, reflecting the specialized, enforcement-focused approach required to counter the threat posed by illicit drugs.
The training covered key areas including regional drug trends, narcotics investigation techniques, intelligence analysis, operational and undercover methods, digital investigations, and crypto analysis. The INCB GRIDS Programme provided access and training on its technologies along with practical field exercises focused on enforcement and officer safety. A multi-phase practical scenario allowed participants to apply these skills in simulated investigations, building confidence in identifying and dismantling drug trafficking networks.
As part of the programme, the GRIDS RTO delivered sessions on online investigation techniques, open-source intelligence (OSINT), and operational security (OPSEC) fundamentals. Participants were also introduced to the INCB Suite of tools, including IONICS, GRIDS Intelligence HD, ELITE, CHEMPROFILER, and latest Scanning Novel Opioids Online Platform (SNOOP), which monitors online vendors trafficking fentanyls and related precursors. Through team-based, hands-on exercises using real-life data, pulled directly from INCB’s intelligence-led tools, participants applied the various tools to identify traffickers and vendors operating in their respective countries, demonstrating the practical application of intelligence-led targeting, risk profiling skills in modern drug investigations.
This initiative directly supports regional efforts to combat transnational organized crime and the trafficking and production of synthetic drugs. 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 other dangerous substances. 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 enhancing operational cooperation in Southeast Asia, the Pacific, 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.
The GRIDS Programme is supported by the Governments of Japan and the United States. This event was made possible through generous support from the United States of America's Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.
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