Regional joint workshop in Panama provides training to officials to detect and prevent diversion of precursors and equipment

Fentanyl and methamphetamine are among the most manufactured drugs in North America. According to the latest INCB Precursors Report, most fentanyl precursors seized globally were found in, or en route to, North America, with traffickers using established routes through Central America. Additionally, chemicals that are not under international control, such as methylamine, as well as highly sophisticated illicit drug manufacturing equipment are also being trafficked to manufacture amphetamine-type stimulants.

To support countries  in preventing and countering illicit drug manufacturing, a five day  in-person Spanish-language training workshop was organized in Panama by the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office for Central America and the Caribbean, and the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission of the Organization of American States (CICAD/OAS), together with Panama’s  National Commission for the Study and Prevention of Drug-Related Crimes (CONAPRED).

INCB electronic platforms and reference materials to prevent diversion of chemicals and equipment

Thirty-seven civil servants from Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Panama attended the activity during which INCB presented the relevant provisions, tools and initiatives relating to articles 12 and 13 of the 1988 United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, which provides the international control framework for precursor chemicals as well as approaches to materials and equipment used in illicit drug manufacture. Additionally, INCB provided practical examples of the use of the Precursors Incident Communication System (PICS), a platform that enables national authorities to share information in real time on seizures and attempted diversions of precursor chemicals and essential equipment. Finally, INCB presented other resources developed to support Governments in their efforts to prevent illicit drug manufacture, such as the International Monitoring List of Equipment (IMLE), the International Special Surveillance List of non-scheduled chemicals (ISSL), and guidance materials.

UNODC programme on the storage and final disposal of seized chemicals in Latin America (STAND)

During the workshop, UNODC presented technical tools and best practices developed through the regional project on Solutions, Training, and Advice for Narcotic Disposal (STAND), which works with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to strengthen institutional capacities in the preliminary identification, safe handling, storage, and final disposal of seized drugs and chemicals, promoting sustainable technical solutions aimed at reducing the risks associated with the prolonged storage of hazardous substances and preventing their potential re-entry into the illicit market.

CICAD/OAS model regulations for the control of chemical substances

Lastly, CICAD/OAS provided additional details on the situation in the Latin American region, and presented its Model Regulations for the Control of Chemical Substances Used in the Illicit Manufacture of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances  which provide guidance to countries on developing regulatory frameworks and oversight mechanisms for trade in chemical inputs, and promote interagency coordination and the exchange of best practices.

The training took place thanks to financial support from the Government of the United States of America, through the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

Quick links

• INCB Precursors and Equipment Programme
• UNODC Laboratory and Scientific Services
• Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission of the Organization of American States (CICAD/OAS)