Pioneering Technologies to Combat Global Illicit Drugs and Other Crimes: Insights from CND 2024 Side Event

On March 20, the global community took a significant step forward in the battle against illicit activities at the side event “Combining UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) technologies to counter illicit drugs.” This groundbreaking event, organized by the Kyrgyz Republic alongside the UNODC Programme Office in Kyrgyzstan and supported by the Russian Federation, was held during the 67th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, Austria.

Participants included a wide array of stakeholders from CND member states, potential contributors, AI and UAS technology experts, law enforcement, researchers, and organizations dedicated to drug prevention and control.

The focus was squarely on leveraging AI and UAS technologies to confront and mitigate the complex global challenges presented by illicit drugs and other crimes. The discussions, informed by the UNODC's project achievements in Kyrgyzstan, aimed to stimulate cross-disciplinary exchange, share insights, and best practices in deploying these technologies for more effective enforcement, detection, and monitoring.

The dialogue emphasized the strategic integration of AI and UAS for superior enforcement against a spectrum of crimes, from drug trafficking to environmental violations. Key discussions included:

Innovative Cultivation Detection: The use of drones and AI to identify wild-growing or cultivated areas of cannabis, ephedra, opium poppy, and coca bushes, enhanced by hyperspectral imaging for a digital cataloging of plants.

Synthetic Drug Lab Detection: AI and drones identifying synthetic drug labs, with gas emission sensors collecting crucial data for AI processing, signifying a new approach in law enforcement technology.

UAS, AI, and Sensor Integration for Comprehensive Surveillance: Combining various sensors with drones and AI for a broad range of surveillance tasks, from detecting synthetic drug labs to border security and smuggling prevention. Providing law enforcement officers with enhanced situational awareness during operations to locate drug traffickers and their routes, collecting intelligence, and verifying their actions from a distance.

Advanced Object Recognition: Utilizing AI for sophisticated analysis to locate and identify illegal activity-related objects, enhancing law enforcement capabilities. Drones and AI comparing orthophotomaps to spot land-use changes and environmental damages from illegal activities, illustrating the environmental side of crime fighting.

Illegal Mining and Wildlife Trafficking: Showcasing AI and UAS in detecting unauthorized mining operations and in wildlife trafficking prevention, presenting a united front against a variety of crimes.

The event underscored the importance of keeping pace with technological advancements and exploiting their potential to reformulate strategies against illicit activities. It concluded with a proposition to establish the UNODC Multifunctional Center for Technology Excellence (TechEx Center), envisioned as a foundation for future collaborative ventures, engaging scientific, technical, and private sectors with UNODC to enhance the utilization of AI and UAS in crime combating efforts.

This side event at the CND 2024 represents a pivotal moment for UNODC and Member States to embrace technological innovations in AI and UAS, setting the stage for novel, cooperative strategies to address the multifaceted challenges of global illicit activities.

“For UNODC, it is paramount to stay at the forefront of technological progress. AI and new technologies offer unprecedented opportunities to enhance the efficiency of our operations, especially in complex and multifaceted areas like monitoring and combating illicit drug trafficking, counteracting human trafficking, and wildlife protection,” said Mr. Bo Mathiasen, Officer-in-Charge of the UNODC Division for Operations.