Costa Rica, 29 January 2024 - In 2022, over 800,000 kgs of synthetic drug precursor chemicals were seized in ports worldwide. This massive number demonstrates that global trafficking of synthetic drugs and their precursors (i.e., the ingredients used to make the drugs) relies heavily on legal, commercial ports of entry.
With thousands of containers arriving daily, port control officers serve as a key line of defense against the proliferation of synthetic drugs from outside the country.
However, seizures of these drugs are not without risk to the law enforcement officers who handle them. Since synthetic drugs such as fentanyl are 50 to 100 times more potent than heroin or morphine, mishandling of such drugs can have fatal results for frontline officers.
“There have been situations where officers have died because they opened a package as if it were cocaine and it turned out to be fentanyl,” noted Marcela Ruiz, a UNODC Forensic Science Officer in Costa Rica, noted.
To address this issue, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has strengthened the capacity of law enforcement and port control experts at international ports through hands-on training of drug identification. Participants learn how to safely handle and use proper personal protective equipment, as well as how to appropriately dispose of synthetic drugs and their precursors.
The Synthetic Drug Strategy, which presents a framework for action to address the global synthetic drug problem, also leverages innovation and technology to make science-informed responses accessible to law enforcement entities and facilitate counternarcotic cooperation across agencies.
“Interagency cooperation is essential so that each agency can create synergies that allow for coordinated and effective responses,” explained Jorge Vargas of PCBT in Costa Rica of UNODC’s Passenger Control and Border Team.
By prioritizing hands-on training, fostering interagency cooperation, and utilizing cutting-edge technology, the Synthetic Drug Strategy not only enhances the safety of law enforcement officers in international ports but also strengthens global efforts to address the synthetic drug problem.
For more information on the Synthetic Drug Strategy, visit:
syntheticdrugs.unodc.org/
