STOPPING THE DISTRIBUTION OF DRUG-MAKING CHEMICALS FROM ASIA

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 
Clamping Down on Diversion of Drug-Making Chemicals in Asia
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
December 2, 2013

At the “Precursor Control in Asia: Addressing the Challenges” meeting in Thailand, on December 2, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Carol Perez addressed more than 100 technical experts and policymakers from around the world, calling for action to reduce the diversion of legal chemicals to the manufacture of illegal drugs. Perez pressed for more effective utilization of international control mechanisms already in place and called for greater attention to the illegal diversion of acetic anhydride, a chemical used in the manufacture of heroin.

Asia is the principal producer of many of the chemicals used by drug traffickers in and outside the region for manufacturing heroin and methamphetamine. Opiate abuse is a long-standing problem in Asia, and methamphetamine and amphetamine-type stimulants pose new and fast-growing threats. The delegates will discuss ways to improve the usage of existing information-sharing tools and other forms of law enforcement cooperation to combat the activities of organized crime organizations involved in the production of these dangerous illicit drugs.

The conference was organized by the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) with support from the United States.