Nagarkot, Nepal/22 August 2025: Across South Asia, the illicit trafficking of narcotics and precursors poses a growing threat not only to security but also to public health and well-being. UNODC’s World Drug Report 2025 highlighted how traffickers are adapting rapidly, concealing illicit substances in legitimate cargo, exploiting porous borders, and using new routes to move drugs across the region.
Law enforcement agencies are faced with a constant challenge of ensuring safety of communities and counter drug trafficking without affecting regular trade and travel. Regular capacity enhancement of law enforcement officials is therefore an imperative.
In this backdrop, 17 officers from Nepal Customs, the Narcotics Control Bureau, and Airport Police joined a four-day anti-smuggling training workshop on illicit drug and precursor trafficking convened by UNODC under its Passenger and Cargo Control Programme (PCCP) in Nagarkot. Supported by United States Government, the workshop empowered the participants to return to their posts with sharper skills, renewed confidence, and stronger inter-agency cooperation.
Delving into both theory and practice, the officials deliberated on the latest trends in drug trafficking across the region, explored methods for risk management, and exchanged insights on ways to identify suspicious consignments without disrupting legitimate flows. Officers also gained hands-on experience with key detection tools, including the UNODC drug and precursor test kit and the Handheld Narcotics Analyzer. These devices enable rapid and accurate presumptive testing, helping officers make informed decisions in the field.
Through simulated exercises in realistic scenarios, participants also practiced applying what they had learned in the classroom, testing their ability to spot high-risk shipments and respond under pressure.
The workshop reinforced their role as the first line of defence against illicit drugs entering or moving through the country, and built stronger ties between customs, narcotics investigators and airport police.
This activity contributed to SDG 16 and SDG 17: https://sdg-tracker.org/
(Supported by the United States Government)
