Global cooperation urged as synthetic drug threats grow

The rapid spread of synthetic drugs, increasingly intertwined with crimes such as telecom fraud, money laundering and technology-enabled crime, is putting new pressure on countries to strengthen intelligence sharing, precursor chemical controls and cross-border law enforcement cooperation, officials said at a recent forum.

The issue took center stage on Wednesday at the Sub-Forum on International Drug Control Cooperation of the 2026 Conference of the Global Public Security Cooperation Forum in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province.

Hosted by the China Narcotics Control Foundation, the sub-forum brought together more than 200 representatives from drug control, police and customs authorities, experts and scholars from 44 countries and regions, as well as representatives of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the International Narcotics Control Board and INTERPOL.

Under the theme of addressing the global challenges posed by synthetic drugs, participants discussed emerging threats and approaches to prevention, enforcement, regulation, rehabilitation and international cooperation.

According to the 2026 World Drug Report cited at the meeting, about 331 million people worldwide used drugs in 2024, accounting for 6.2 percent of the population aged 15 to 64, up from 5.2 percent a decade earlier.

Andy Tsang Wai-hung, chair of the Global Public Security Cooperation Forum Conference, said the evolving drug landscape calls for stronger multilateral cooperation, improved information sharing and joint action, alongside a balanced approach combining supply reduction, demand reduction and prevention. He also highlighted the role of big data and artificial intelligence in early warning, source tracing and law enforcement.

Chinese anti-drug authorities warned that synthetic drug crime is increasingly intertwined with telecom fraud, underground banking and other forms of organized crime. Criminal groups are also making greater use of artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies, while social media, digital payments and parcel delivery have become important tools in drug trafficking.

Discussions therefore focused not only on drug interdiction and arrests but also on strengthening the fight against drug crime through tighter controls on chemicals, greater information sharing, joint operations and technology-enabled monitoring.

Hamish McCardle, a former assistant commissioner of New Zealand Police, said China's continued emphasis on drug prevention education was worth studying.

He said prevention messaging needs to adapt to highly potent synthetic substances such as fentanyl and new methods of consumption, including vaping devices. Some Western countries had reduced formal drug education programs, while China had maintained prevention efforts among young people and the wider population.

Felipe Tavares Seixas, director of international cooperation of the Brazilian Federal Police, said Brazil faces a different drug environment. Bordering Peru, Bolivia and Colombia, it is close to major cocaine-producing areas and also serves as a transit country.

Brazil operates two international police cooperation centers involving South American countries and has expanded cooperation with China. The two sides signed a law enforcement cooperation agreement in 2023 covering information sharing, joint operations and technical cooperation, while Brazil opened a police liaison officer office in Beijing last year.

China has reported 195,000 drug-related criminal cases solved over the past five years, with 298,000 suspects arrested and 135 metric tons of drugs seized. It has placed 543 narcotic and psychotropic substances and 47 precursor chemicals under control.

Participants called for comprehensive, balanced, science-based and evidence-based drug policies, saying stronger cooperation in prevention, enforcement, substance control, rehabilitation and information sharing will be critical to tackling synthetic drug threats.