Virtual Chemical Diversion Investigations

Published October 29, 2021

ILEA Bangkok in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) hosted a 3-day Chemical Diversion Workshop (Virtual), October 26-28, 2021, with 38 participants who are narcotics investigators, drug prosecutors, chemists, and forensic specialists from 8 ILEA Bangkok subscribing countries.

Pharmaceutical diversion and clandestine manufacturing of illicit drugs using precursor chemicals is a growing global problem and an extremely hazardous enterprise. The Chemical Diversion Workshop was specifically designed to provide an introduction to DEA diversion and chemical precursor proliferation investigations. The workshop also provided an overview of the U.S. Diversion Program, pharmaceutical and chemicals of concern, methods of diversion, recordkeeping requirements, chemical company inspections, auditing of listed chemicals, and chemical precursor investigation techniques.

The DEA instructors underlined the significance of international cooperation in conducting these transnational investigations. The training involved interactive participation between the participants and the DEA as they shared expertise and experiences.