Fighting the Global Drug War Together

GRAPHIC: Elaine Lee. PHOTOS: Joash Tan

According to the latest World Drug Report 2022 published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), there has been an acceleration in drug use and attendant health impact as various regions of the world legalised the use of cannabis.

A staggering 284 million people worldwide aged 15 to 64 were estimated to have used drugs in 2020, an increase of 26 per cent over the preceding decade. Of the 284 million people, about 13.6 per cent or over 38 million people, suffer from drug use disorders.

These numbers are sobering, and underlines the urgent need for government agencies and communities around the world to come together to tackle the worsening drug problem.

To engage the international drug enforcement stakeholders and exchange best practices, the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) organised an inaugural international "Workshop on Singapore’s Drug Control 2022” in October 2022 under the Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP).

The SCP is Singapore’s flagship platform for extending technical assistance and sharing Singapore’s development experience with fellow developing countries. Since its inception in 1992, It has welcomed close to 150,000 foreign government officials to its programmes.

The four-day workshop, which featured a mixture of classroom lectures and experiential visits, provided a holistic overview on how Singapore tackles the drug problem – from prevention to rehabilitation. Twenty-five senior officials from law enforcement and drug control regulatory agencies of 17 countries attended the workshop.

Left: Superintendent William Tan (in white), Senior Assistant Director with CNB’s Intelligence Division, briefing course participants. Right: Site visit to Tuas Checkpoint.

Highlights included a site visit to Tuas Checkpoint to learn how the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and CNB work together to enforce border security and stem the flow of illicit drugs into Singapore, as well as a visit to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) laboratories, where participants gained insights on their forensic services, in particular, how drug analyses supported CNB in investigations.

Sharing of drug testing methodologies by HSA. PHOTO: HSA

The workshop participants also made a trip to the Drug Rehabilitation Centre at Changi Prison Complex to understand how the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) and Yellow Ribbon Singapore (YRSG) address the risks and needs of drug offenders to prevent re-offending and support their reintegration into society.

An inmate shared on the rehabilitation programmes that help to overcome drug addiction. PHOTO: SPS

One participant from Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency was particularly impressed by the synergy harnessed by the Home Team Departments across the whole cycle of drug prevention, detection, investigation and rehabilitation.

“Just like Singapore, Nigeria and all the participating countries have the same drug (control) problem. The only way to solve it is through concerted effort across countries and among agencies at home,” said Mrs Chinyere Helen Obijuru, Director of Training & Manpower Development. “No agency or country can do it alone.”

Mrs Chinyere Helen Obijuru (in black) at the workshop.

Mrs Obijuru also observed that technology and efficiency play a huge part in advancing investigations. On learning that CNB officers were able to conduct preliminary testing of urine and saliva samples, she said: “This helps to cut down on the time required on the case.”

“It’s definitely one area that we would like to look into to see how we can utilise such technologies in drug cases.”

Group photo of workshop participants with Home Team and HSA officers.

This workshop is a commitment by Singapore to expand capacity building and technical assistance to other countries, as part of our membership bid to the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND). Organising such workshops helps to showcase our technical and strategic capabilities, share best practices and experiences, and advance our country as an effective global partner in drug control.

One of the workshop’s main coordinators, Thamaraichelvan Meyappan, Senior Executive from CNB’s International Affairs Policy, Planning & Research Division said: “The workshop helps to build trust with other nations. Over time, we hope this will position Singapore as a credible voice on the issue of drug control, and one that other nations can rely upon to provide structured and informed facts, giving them the assurance that Singapore will be a valuable CND member.”

“Through sharing our strategies in managing the drug problem, we also learn about the measures adopted by other countries at the same time,” added ASP Ng Zhi Hao, officer-in-command of Training Transformation with CNB’s Operation Division, who helped develop content for the workshop.

Thamaraichelvan Meyappan and ASP Ng Zhi Hao.

For both officers, the workshop has reinforced their understanding that when it comes to drug control, there is no one-size-fits-all approach and that collaboration between the Home Team and the community is critical.

“Harm prevention is a strategy that works for Singapore, and methods such as decriminalisation and harm reduction strategies implemented by other countries may not be applicable in our local context,” said Thamaraichelvan.

“The workshop also highlights the efforts of different agencies in the Home Team and in the community, working together as one to achieve the common goal of keeping Singapore drug-free,” said ASP Ng.

Read also: Advancing the Drug Fight Globally

Singapore’s Bid for United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) Membership
The main drug policy making body of the UN, the CND meets annually to review and analyse the global drug situation, develop strategies on international drug control and recommend measures to address the world drug problem. Singapore announced its intent to run for the CND membership for the term 2024 to 2027.

Read the statement by Mrs Josephine Teo, Minister for Communications and Information and Second Minister for Home Affairs, at the 65th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna, Austria, to reaffirm Singapore’s commitment to address the drug problem.

On 13 February 2023, a reception was held in New York to launch Singapore’s bid for the UNCND membership.

Read the opening address by Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Minister of State for Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry for National Development.