MOI Hosts Workshop on Chemical Precursors and Electronic Monitoring Systems
The Ministry of Interior, represented by the General Federal Directorate for Combating Drugs, in collaboration with the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), organized a specialized workshop titled Control of Chemical Precursors, New Psychoactive Substances, and Tools for Information Exchange through Electronic Systems. The workshop took place in Dubai on December 4–5, 2024.
Led by experts from the INCB, the workshop addressed critical topics such as the control of new psychoactive substances (NPS), synthetic opioids, and the dangers of their trafficking. Participants explored global drug control measures, border management strategies, and tools provided by the Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances (GRIDS) project. GRIDS focuses on curbing the trafficking of new psychoactive substances and synthetic opioids by fostering partnerships between public and private sectors and training stakeholders through specialized programs.
Discussions also highlighted the ION Project, an operational initiative supporting national authorities in preventing the circulation of unscheduled psychoactive substances with no recognized medical, practical, or industrial value. The project emphasizes reporting such substances and building cross-sector partnerships to safeguard consumer markets.
The second day focused on monitoring controlled precursor chemicals through tools like the Pre-Export Notification System (PEN Online), which facilitates the exchange of information between international authorities on precursor chemical imports and exports. Participants also reviewed the Precursor Chemical Incident Reporting System (PICS), which helps identify and track individuals involved in precursor chemical smuggling.
This workshop underscores the Ministry’s commitment to enhancing international cooperation and adopting advanced systems to combat the misuse of controlled substances and address emerging global drug trafficking challenges.