Ways to prevent online illicit drug trade discussed at OSCE meeting in Vienna

VIENNA, 25 July 2013 – Challenges, best practices and co-operation between countries and organizations in preventing and combating illicit drug trade on the Internet are key themes of an OSCE conference that started in Vienna today.

The two-day meeting is organized jointly by the Ukrainian 2013 OSCE Chairmanship and the Transnational Threats Department of the OSCE Secretariat and brings together more than 100 representatives of OSCE participating States, international organizations, civil society and the private sector.

Ambassador Ihor Prokopchuk, the Chairperson of the OSCE Permanent Council representing the Ukrainian Chairmanship said in his opening speech: “The spread of illicit drugs, for which the Internet is widely used, continues to be one of the most dangerous transnational threats throughout the OSCE region.”

“OSCE participating States should pro-actively look at how we can best protect our societies, and especially our youth, from illegal supplies of narcotic drugs and their precursors on the Internet, promote swift implementation of relevant OSCE commitments, and facilitate international co-operation and information sharing in the OSCE region,” Prokopchuk said.

OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier outlined the mechanisms and resources the OSCE has to address the problem of illicit drugs, including the work of OSCE field operations assisting the OSCE participating States in developing policies and training, and co-operation with other international structures.

Zannier described specific challenges of combating illicit drugs market on the Internet: “While the Internet is primarily a force for the good, it is also emerging as an online marketplace for all sorts of illegal goods, including drugs. By facilitating communication and providing access to knowledge, expertise and logistics, the Internet also contributes to the rapid diffusion of new ‘trends’ in the illicit production and illegal distribution of narcotic drugs.”

The conference participants will discuss ways to address the issue, including through the development of new technologies to identify drug dealers on the open and “shadow” Internet and expansion of the network of computer forensics specialists.

OSCE-wide expert conferences on this topic have been held since 2007, this is the fifth event of the kind.