Strengthening partnerships to counter afghan opiates trafficking and consumption

Indian Government hosts the 2nd Paris Pact Expert Working Group meeting on Precursors in New Delhi

On 14 to 15 November 2011, the Government of India hosted for the first time the 2nd Paris Pact Expert Working Group meeting on Precursors[1]. The meeting took place in New Delhi and was organized by the Central Bureau of Narcotics, Gwalior with the support of the United Nations office on Drugs and Crime.

The illicit production of opiates in Afghanistan represents a severe threat at global level, specifically to neighbouring countries as well as all transit and consumption countries. In 2003, the Paris Pact Initiative was formed to increase international cooperation to counter Afghan opiates trafficking and consumption. Today, more than 55 countries and international organizations have joined this partnership initiative. Under the Paris Pact consultative mechanism, regular Expert Working Group meetings are held which bring together counter narcotics practitioners from partner countries and organizations. This year's meeting was a follow-up to the first Paris Pact Expert Working Group meeting on precursors, which took place in Paris in November 2010.

Mr. Palanimanickam, Union Minister of State for Revenue, Government of India delivered the key note address during the inaugural session, during which he highlighted India's commitment to the initiative. More than 50 participants from 30 countries and organizations, UNODC experts from  Afghanistan, the Russian federation and Headquarters in Vienna and national competent authorities responsible for regulatory and law enforcement control attended the meeting. The discussions focused on priority action required to counter the diversion of chemical precursors used in the manufacture of heroin (particularly acetic anhydride), the recent trafficking trends as well as measures to prevent their diversion from licit markets. The participants took stock of the current status of implementation of the recommendations made during the first meeting on Precursors. They also discussed ways of improving intelligence-led operations on precursor chemicals and addressing elements of the supply chain of precursor chemicals, including involvement of the private sector.

At the end of the meeting, the participants developed a set of recommendations to enhance cooperation between all partners and identify measures to deal with the diversion and smuggling of chemical precursors which will be submitted to the Paris Pact Policy Consultative Group Meeting, which will take place in Vienna in December 2011.

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[1] Precursors - Chemicals frequently used in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances