Nairobi, Kenya, 8 May 2026
The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), through its Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances (GRIDS) Programme, delivered specialized training for 25 multi-agency officers in Kenya on intelligence sharing, intelligence analysis, and open-source investigations to strengthen responses to synthetic drugs and other illicit trafficking threats.
The three-day training brought together officers from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU), Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK), Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB), and the Immigration Department. The training aimed to enhance operational cooperation and intelligence exchange among national agencies responsible for border security, drug control, customs enforcement, and regulatory oversight.
Participants received access to and practical training on INCB's Project Ion Incident Communication System (IONICS), GRIDS Intelligence HD, and the Scanning Novel Opioids Online Platform (SNOOP). Through hands-on exercises, officers developed practical skills in real-time incident reporting, intelligence development and analysis, and online investigations to identify emerging drug trafficking threats and suspicious activities.
The programme also provided awareness-raising sessions on new psychoactive substances (NPS), non-medical synthetic opioids, and other dangerous substances, highlighting current trafficking trends and emerging challenges facing law enforcement and regulatory agencies. Practical modules focused on intelligence collection and analysis, open-source intelligence (OSINT) techniques, and the use of INCB operational tools to support interdiction efforts and cross-agency coordination.
In addition, participants received training on the safe handling of opioids and other dangerous substances, including the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety procedures for frontline officers operating in potentially hazardous environments.
The training highlighted the importance of timely intelligence sharing and coordinated operational responses among national authorities. Participants demonstrated improved understanding of synthetic drug threats and strengthened their ability to utilize intelligence-led approaches to support interdiction activities and investigations.
Through this capacity-building initiative, the INCB GRIDS Programme continued to strengthen Kenya's ability to detect, investigate, and disrupt synthetic drug trafficking while enhancing cooperation among national agencies and supporting regional efforts to address emerging drug threats.
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.
Click here to learn more about the GRIDS Programme
Click here to learn more about the OPIOIDS Project
Click here to learn more about the Project ION
