Issue 111 | August 31, 2018
A quick and easy update of the latest UNODC and international drugs and crime news.
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Multi-agency law enforcement project in El Salvador detects passenger wanted for 12 years on terrorism charges
A suspicious passenger, wanted by the FBI and INTERPOL for 12 years on charges of terrorism, has been detected and investigated at the international airport of El Salvador by the Joint Airport Interdiction Task Force (JAITF) of the Airport Communication Project (AIRCOP). AIRCOP is implemented by UNODC in partnership with INTERPOL and the World Customs Organizations (WCO). [Read More]
UNODC organizes workshop to address opioid problem in West Africa
Non-medical use and trafficking of tramadol is becoming the main drug threat in West Africa. One sign of this is the rise in seizures of pharmaceutical opioids on the continent, driven by the worldwide popularity of tramadol, an opioid used to treat moderate and moderate-to-severe pain that is widely trafficked in the region. To find ways to address "The Crisis of Tramadol and Other Prescription Medicines in West Africa", UNODC organized a workshop last week in Abuja. [Read More]
Chile becomes first country in South America to adopt #DeadlyBusiness campaign against migrant smuggling
The Office of the Attorney General of Chile joined UNODC's #DeadlyBusiness campaign against migrant smuggling. It is the first country in South America to do so, as it aims to spotlight this terrible crime. With this, Chile hopes to reinforce dialogue about this topic since migrant smuggling has become a challenge in the country. Government institutions and civil society organizations, therefore, are addressing this problem from different angles. [Read More]
UNODC Monitoring Survey reports a slight increase of coca bush cultivation in Bolivia during 2017
In 2017, coca cultivation in Bolivia increased by six per cent compared to 2016, according to the latest Coca Cultivation Survey presented today in La Paz by the UNODC and the government of Bolivia. In this period, the area under cultivation increased by 1,400 hectares (ha), from 23,100 ha in 2016 to 24,500 ha. According to the Survey, the regions of Yungas of La Paz, the Tropic of Cochabamba and the North of La Paz represented 65, 34 and one per cent, respectively, of the areas under cultivation in the country. [Read More]
UNODC marks first terrorism victims remembrance day
Terrorism continues to pose a major threat to international peace and security. It undermines the core values of the United Nations and is an indiscriminate threat that affects people and countries across the globe. Indeed, as the Secretary-General remarked on the first International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, "No country can consider itself immune, with almost every nationality in the world falling victim to terrorist attacks."
Victims of terrorism often face challenges within the national criminal justice frameworks in receiving the recognition they deserve. [Read More]
Early Warning Systems in Latin America and the Caribbean address health risks of drug use
The seizure of a multi-kilogram shipment of "ecstasy" (MDMA) in powder form earlier this year was unusual for Uruguay, but it did not yet ring alarm bells for the Early Warning System in Montevideo. However, "When reports of young people suffering from an "ecstasy" overdose kept coming in from hospitals, we got really worried," said Héctor Suarez, who coordinates the system in Uruguay. Young people who are familiar with "ecstasy" sold as pills are at risk of overdosing crystalline and potentially higher potency MDMA. [Read More]
United against Corruption: UNODC, UNDP support efforts to strengthen effectiveness of national authorities
With support from the UNODC and the UNDP, a Global Expert Group Meeting on anti-corruption was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Hosted by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, the meeting brought together over 40 experts from 30 countries to develop the Colombo Commentary on the Jakarta Principles for Anti-Corruption Agencies. Participants discussed "guidance on to how to promote and strengthen the independence and effectiveness of anti-corruption authorities". [Read More]
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