While the traditional opiate drug problem remains serious in the region of East and Southeast Asia and the Pacific, the problem of illicit manufacture, trafficking in and abuse of amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) has become grave in recent years. The ATS problem has generated a series of threats to the social security, stability and  economic development in this region, and a potential danger to the international community as well.

Comprehensive measures and balanced approaches are required to effectively deal with the regional ATS problem, including, inter alia, community-based prevention, education, public awareness, treatment and rehabilitation, law enforcement and criminal justice system responses.

Initial experience indicates that the ATS problem has characteristics that differ from traditional opiate drug problems, especially in terms of fast proliferation in urban areas and more difficult interdiction by law enforcement agencies due to close proximity in the demand and supply chains. Illicit ATS manufacture can virtually take place anywhere with easy access to precursor chemicals. Where trafficking patterns change, which is taking place in the region, abuse follows. Therefore, joint law enforcement in the region and internationally should be taken as an initiative to contain the problem and provide sound basis for comprehensive interventions in other relevant aspects.

In this regard and as an initial measure, it is proposed that ACCORD countries should immediately take joint operations to fight against ATS-related crime, both domestically and internationally, aiming to effectively contain the spreading and deteriorating ATS problem in this region. The proposed joint operations may include those in the Annex.

A. All countries of this region should heighten their vigilance and take effective actions respectively against their domestic ATS-related crime:

1) A series of necessary measures should be taken to obtain a better understanding of the current situation regarding the illicit manufacture, trafficking and abuse of ATS in each country; legislative efforts should be enhanced; domestic law enforcement against ATS-related crime should be strengthened. It is expected that by taking these measures the ATS problem in relevant countries can be effectively controlled in the near future, and successful experience in dealing with the issue can be obtained;

2) It is proposed that relevant countries take immediate law enforcement actions collectively against ATS-related crime in their respective countries, aiming at successfully destroying a number of domestic ATS-related criminal organizations and network, arresting a number of known major drug traffickers, collecting and sharing information and intelligence on ATS-related crime and establishing an effective information/intelligence sharing system. It is expected that by doing so a kind of social prevention and monitoring system on ATS-related crime can be established.

B. International law enforcement cooperation should be taken actively to fight against transnational ATS-related crime: 

1) some substantive points of the proposal for joint action are as follows:

a. (i) Joint operations should cover joint targets in trafficking and clandestine laboratories, with a designed operation plan agreed by the relevant law enforcement agencies of the ACCORD countries (ii) Regional Standard Operating Procedures about joint operations covering intelligence sharing, controlled delivery and other investigation techniques and actions should be formulated, approved and implemented (iii) Backtracking investigations of the precursors should be conducted and the results be informed to the related countries.

b. ACCORD countries should identify a number of target cases that need transnational cooperation. A consultation system could be set up for designing unique operational and tactical plans, seeking to destroy completely the targeted drug trafficking network including arresting major drug criminal organizers, and high success in terms of quantity of drug seizures;

c. Smooth communication channels should be established among relevant countries. A number of contact persons with rich experience of cross-border investigation and fluent English capability should be designated by each country, who will be responsible for information/intelligence transmission, coordinating domestic operations, providing quick response to requests from other countries and reachable  7 days/24 hours, and who will provide telephone numbers and/or other communication channels. 

d. Internal law enforcement training should be provided to member countries of ASEAN and China cooperative mechanism in order to enhance their capabilities in identification and suppressing ATS-related crime. The training may include intelligence collection, analysis and estimation; advanced knowledge and techniques of cross-border law enforcement; anti-money laundering, best practice sharing, and other subject matters according to the identified needs;

e. Joint law enforcement operations along common border areas should be encouraged by relevant countries, fully utilizing and possibly extending the existing border liaison office mechanism established by UNODC. Proper joint operations against ATS trafficking in some targeted common border areas should be taken to interdict illicit ATS smuggling from the source;

f. ACCORD countries will work with relevant countries where appropriate in pursuit of joint law enforcement operations.

A review on the actions and results of the joint actions in this region should be taken by the end of 2006, and such a review should be carried out in combination with the annual ACCORD task force Pillar III law enforcement meeting. Such a review meeting can provide an opportunity for member countries to share experience, show successful results of their actions, demonstrate the determination of this region in dealing with the ATS problems and the spirit of closer cooperation among countries of this region, and urge the international community and major donor countries to provide necessary financial and technical assistance.

Through the next meeting of the annual ACCORD task force Pillar III law enforcement meeting, the following shall be established:

(i) Regional Standard Operating Procedures, including issues of organization and coordination, resource requirements, and funds mobilization.
(ii) An operational plan and target cases.

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Annex

Proposed Joint Law Enforcement Operations
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• Carry out a situation survey and evaluation, at both national and regional level;
• Establish standard operational principles and procedures;
• Set up goals, inputs and outputs, timeline of actions;
• Define areas of joint operations, subject to national legislation and relevant bilateral agreements i.e.:
o Information/intelligence collection, analysis, dissemination, feedback ;
o Clandestine laboratories and illicit chemist identification, investigation and destruction;
o Evidence identification, collection, safe preservation and sharing;
o Seized ATS and precursor chemicals profiling;
o Precursor chemicals identification, safe treatment and disposal, backtracking of precursors;
o Laboratory equipment handling (tableting machine backtracking);
o Case management, investigation, prosecution;
o Mutual legal assistance;
o Law enforcement professional training;
o Other joint actions as required/appropriate;
• Establish liaison network for the joint actions, taking advantage of the existing cross-border liaison offices in relevant countries; designation of full-time contact persons; notification of available communication means and ways;
• Design and approve a joint a action plan among parties through consultation;
• Initiate regional joint actions;
• Carry out a terminal review which would include case studies on international cooperation and collaboration, and recommended future actions.

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