Foreword

The persistent increase of drug abuse and illicit trafficking remains a serious trans-national threat in the OSCE. It creates instability, menaces the security of States and affects the entire international community. The UNODC estimates that 205 million people in the world use illicit drugs, including 25 million who suffer from illicit drug dependence. Illicit drug trafficking and its close links with corruption and money laundering have a devastating effect on democratic governance and economic development all over the world.

The economic transformations, the liberal market policies, and the intensified international trade and travel facilitate the development of illicit business activity. The global trade in illegal drugs is a vast enterprise, estimated by the UNODC at more than $300 billion a year.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) stands ready to make its contribution to the international efforts to combat the threat of illicit drugs and diversion of precursors, in close co-operation with relevant international organizations, institutions and mechanisms.

The OSCE assists countries in the implementation of various UN conventions and universal instruments related to drugs, crime, corruption and terrorism. The OSCE Ministerial Council in Ljubljana (2005), through its Decision 5/05 “Combating the Threat of Illicit Drugs” urged the OSCE participating States to engage in more effective co-operation in the drug-fighting sphere and tasked the Secretary General to enhance co operation with the UNODC and other relevant organizations in combating the trafficking of illicit drugs. The OSCE Ministerial Council in Madrid (Decision 4/07 OSCE engagement with Afghanistan) and the Permanent Council (PC DEC/758 on Enhancing international anti-drug co-operation and PC/DEC 813 on Combating the threat of illicit drugs and precursors) have further addressed the matter of enhancing OSCE activities in the drug-fighting sphere.

The above mentioned Decisions reiterated the commitments of participating States to ratify and fully implement their obligations under the three UN anti-drug conventions (the Single Convention -1961-, the Convention on Psychotropic Substances -1971- and the United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances -1988-) and to increase the engagement of the OSCE in contributing to the global efforts against drug trafficking.

The OSCE executive structures (particularly the Strategic Police Matters Unit, the Borders Team and the Office of the Coordinator on Economic and Environmental Activities), within their respective mandates, contribute to the implementation of the commitments adopted by the participating States.

The OSCE field operations, also within their respective mandates, cooperate with the host authorities in implementing its counter-narcotic commitments, assisting them with projects on enhancement of capacities to combat illicit drugs.

This portal in POLIS is a platform that offers information to experts from participating States on combating drugs. Its purpose is to raise awareness on drug related problems and stimulate the participating States to be more actively engaged in drug supply and demand reduction. The portal is meant to be a useful tool for law enforcement practitioners to exchange information in their efforts to curb the smuggling and unlawful use of narcotics in the OSCE area.

Latest Documents

Drugs Identification Manual

This manual was produced by the Mission's Police Training Centre and handed over to the participants of the Drugs Identification Course.

Subject: Drug offencesDrug offences
Category: Training materials and curricula in Montenegro

Capacity building of in service and specialized training

This project aims to enhance operational capacities of Montenegrin Police Service through organization of the in-service training on drug identification, illegal migration and human trafficking, identification of forged documents and operational police tactics.

Subject: Human traffickingHuman trafficking, Drugs trafficking and/or distributionDrugs trafficking and/or distribution, CounterfeitingCounterfeiting
Category: Police Assistance Programmes, Projects, Practical Initiatives in Montenegro

Lesson Twenty Five: Criminal Law Study — Crime (K)

Material for the 2-hour lesson, part of the Applicable Law in Kosovo training course, developed by the Police Inspectorate of Kosovo and the OSCE Mission in Kosovo

Subject: Drug offencesDrug offences, FirearmsFirearms
Category: Training materials and curricula in Serbia/Kosovo

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