The global drug landscape is changing faster than ever. As highlighted in the 2025 World Drug Report, more than 300 million people worldwide now use drugs, a rise that outpaces global population growth and signals an expanding public‑health challenge. At the same time, the drug market itself is undergoing a profound transformation - one that increasingly places Central Asia at the crossroads of new and complex risks.
Once viewed primarily as a transit corridor for narcotics, the region is now confronting a different threat: the movement, storage, and diversion of precursor chemicals used in the manufacture of synthetic drugs. Across Central Asia, authorities are dismantling clandestine laboratories, intercepting shipments, and reporting sharply rising seizures - evidence of both expanding precursor availability and the growing sophistication of criminal networks.
In Kazakhstan, this shift is already visible on the ground. In 2025 alone, authorities seized 49 tons of various narcotic substances, including nearly 1.5 tons of synthetic drugs, equivalent to an estimated 4.5 million single‑use doses kept off illicit markets. In neighboring Kyrgyzstan, nearly 800 kg of synthetic drugs were seized in 2025, marking a more than twentyfold increase compared with the previous year.
Against this evolving backdrop, UNODC, with the close support of the Government of Kazakhstan, hosted the meeting of the Regional Working Group on Precursor Chemicals (RWGP) on 12–13 February 2026 in Astana. The meeting brought together around 90 representatives from governmental bodies, law enforcement agencies, private‑sector entities, and technical experts spanning 15 countries across Central Asia, South and South-East Asia, and Eastern Europe.
Opening the meeting, Baurzhan Alenov, First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan, emphasized the urgency of strengthened cross‑border collaboration. “It is necessary to deepen coordination and expand the exchange of relevant information, including data on trafficking channels, intercepted shipments, route analysis, logistical schemes and financial support for such crimes, as well as engage in joint operational measures,” he stressed.
Throughout the two‑day event, participants delved into the mechanics of precursor use in clandestine laboratories, analyzed new seizure trends, and identified critical vulnerabilities in detection and reporting systems. Special attention was given to the complexity of tracking New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) and emerging precursors, an area where improved forensic capabilities and harmonized regional standards are urgently needed.
To strengthen international cooperation in countering drug‑related crimes, UNODC facilitated a series of bilateral meetings between Kazakhstan’s Anti‑Drugs Committee and delegations from Bulgaria, China, Iran, Pakistan, and Thailand.
Engagement with the private sector was highlighted as essential factor. Alexander Fedulov, Deputy Regional Representative of the UNODC Regional Office for Afghanistan, Central Asia, Iran, and Pakistan, highlighted that chemical producers, pharmaceutical companies, and other industrial actors are essential to prevent diversion. “Cooperation between regulatory authorities and industry contributes directly to risk prevention,” he noted, emphasizing the importance of due diligence and responsible business practices. Building on this point, representatives of private sector shared practical insights into compliance systems, risk‑based monitoring, and technological tools designed to keep supply chains legally compliant and secure. They emphasized that platforms such as this working group motivate businesses to enhance their responsibility in managing precursor chemicals and adhering to national regulations.
By the end of the meeting, participants reaffirmed that addressing synthetic drug threats requires sustained cooperation at the national, regional, and global levels. In this context, the RWGP meeting in Astana proved both timely and indispensable, providing a coordinated platform to confront one of the region’s most urgent and complex threats.
