Fact sheets INTERPOL and drug trafficking      (Acrobat files)

The drug trade and its associated problems continue to grow in most parts of the world.

Global abuse and accessibility of drugs has become increasingly complex, as trafficking routes have become shorter, more diverse and more easily traversed.

The drug trade involves growers, producers, couriers, suppliers, dealers and users and affects people in almost all of INTERPOL’s 188 member countries.

INTERPOL’s criminal intelligence officers focus on the most commonly used and trafficked narcotic drugs – cocaine, heroin, cannabis, and synthetic drugs – as well as precursor chemicals and doping substances.

INTERPOL’s primary drug-control role is to identify new drug trafficking trends and criminal organizations operating at the international level and to assist all national and international law enforcement bodies concerned with countering the illicit production, trafficking and abuse of drugs by:

• collecting and analysing data obtained from member countries for strategic and tactical intelligence reports and disseminating these reports to the concerned countries;
• responding to and supporting international drug investigations;
• helping to coordinate drug investigations involving at least two member countries;
• organizing operational working meetings between member countries where INTERPOL has identified common links in cases being investigated in these countries;
• organizing regional or global conferences on specific drug topics, the aims of which are to assess the extent of the drug problem, exchange information on the latest investigative techniques and strengthen cooperation within the law enforcement community.

INTERPOL maintains close liaison with national law enforcement agencies and with non-governmental organizations (NGO) that have a counterdrug mandate. This constant communication is crucial to fulfilling INTERPOL’s mission to aid the international community in curbing illicit drug trafficking and sales.