Southeast Asia's Drug Trade: Developments and Challenges
A Talk by Esteban Felipe De La Torre , Inshik Sim , Naoki Sugano and Magali Vennin
About this Talk
During this session, panelists will discuss the latest developments, challenges, and outlooks on Southeast Asia's drug trade, alongside UNODC’s ongoing support to enhance cross-border collaboration and information sharing. The region's drug trade has been marked by a decade of growth in the production and trafficking of synthetic drugs, particularly methamphetamine. While seizures of the drug returned to pre-COVID-19 levels with nearly 151 tons seized in 2022, the market has evolved considerably. At frontline border crossings, detecting and investigating illicit trafficking requires that officers have advanced expertise in identifying and analyzing substances, and the ability to readily collaborate with their counterparts.
About The Speakers
UNODC Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific
International civil servant with 20-year experience working with governments and regional bodies in the Americas, Europe and Southeast Asia on the development of policies and plans of action to advance border governance agendas and public information campaigns to counter cross-border crimes.
UNODC Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific
Monitoring developments of the illicit manufacture and trafficking of drugs in East and Southeast Asia over the last decade