Kathmandu, Jan. 17 : Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ramchandra Poudel has said the solution to the problem of drug trafficking does not lie within the reach of a single country but in a combined effort and co-operation between the countries.

Deputy Prime Minister Poudel made the remarks while inaugurating here today a 3-day workshop on “Precursor control in the SAARC countries” organised by Home Ministry of HMG/N with the co-operation of the United National International Drug Control Programme, South Asian Regional Office, and European Commission.

The Deputy Prime Minister said, “The substances manufactured for illicit purposes might be diverted from illicit channels to the sites where drugs are illicitly manufactured.”

“Trafficking of drugs and its essential chemicals and solvents are not new to any of us; the problem is an immense concern not only to our individual countries but also to the region and the world as a whole,” he added.

“The traffickers use every conceivable method to smuggle the chemicals. Since these chemicals used for illicit purposes and lawfully imported and exported, it is more difficult to regulate their uses and detect their diversion with any certainty which countries will be targeted next,” he noted.

He further said, “As far as Nepal is concerned, we do not produce any type of chemicals listed in table I and II of UN Convention. However, we are using some of them in pharmaceuticals, textiles and chemicals industries in limited context.”

“Attention should be given not only to finished product of drugs but also to those substances that can be used in the illicit manufacturing of narcotics drugs and psychotropic substances,” he suggested.

“Nepal has adopted some control measures and mechanism for the importation and utilisation of such chemicals within the Kingdom,” he said.

Home Secretary Shrikant Regmi said misuse of precursor and its illicit trafficking might pose a serious threat in our region because of its proximate location between the golden triangle and the golden crescent.’

“It is therefore a high time to build regional linkages and strengthen networking mechanism to control the misuse of precursor and its illicit diversion,” he said.

From the chair, UNDCP Regional Representative Renate Ehmer while noting the first phase of the project which started in 1996-99, said the phase of the project tried to increase awareness of the governments in the region regarding the control of precursor.

Regional precursor project manager Devendra Dutt also expressed his view.

According to senior programme officer Sunil Nanda of UNDCP South Asian Regional Office, the project was created in 1996 to regulate precursor and prevent its deflection in South Asia and South West Asia.

With a view to bringing increased awareness in the target countries, the project is helping in national policy formulation training and providing equipment and information networking in the field.