THE Regional Workshop on Transnational Drug Crime Investigations was co-hosted by the Myanmar Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) at the Chatrium Hotel in Yangon on the morning of 25 August.
The workshop discussed challenges in investigating international drug cases, country presentations, information and evidence sharing, documentation and language requirements, extradition and deportation, and cooperation on extradition and the transfer of suspects at border areas.
CCDAC Joint Secretary Police Brig-Gen Thant Lwin Maung of the Myanmar Police Force’s Drug Enforcement Division highlighted the rapid evolution of regional drug trafficking.
He said drugs are increasingly produced in one country and exported to others, while proceeds are concealed in countries under different jurisdictions. Drug trafficking groups are also forming wider networks, using new technologies and chemicals not yet on controlled-chemical lists, and modifying chemical formulas to evade detection. He cited cases seized in Hsipaw and Mongyai and said trafficking groups had also recruited foreign chemists who illegally enter Myanmar through border areas. He said apprehending drug-trafficking leaders and gathering evidence remain difficult, while delays in cross-border transfers and information sharing, unclear procedures, incomplete documentation and complex communication processes can allow criminals to evade justice. He therefore stressed the need to prioritize regional cooperation.
The workshop, which runs until 27 August, is attended by 58 representatives, including eight from the Drug Enforcement Division, representatives from Mekong countries, 42 from UNODC and eight from partner Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia and Malaysia.
MNA/MKKS
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