DUTCH INTENSIFY FIGHT AGAINST SYNTHETIC DRUGS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 THE HAGUE 001013 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR INL, EUR/ERA, EUR/PGI, EUR/UBI ONDCP FOR CHARLOTTE SISSON DOJ FOR OIA DEA HQS FOR OEE, OIE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SNAR KCRM PINS PREL NL SUBJECT: DUTCH INTENSIFY FIGHT AGAINST SYNTHETIC DRUGS Summary -------------- ¶1. The Justice Ministry policy memorandum on planned measures against the production, trade and use of synthetic drugs, submitted to Parliament May 11, outlines the Dutch government's objectives and strategies to combat ecstasy and other synthetic drugs over the next several years. The policy memorandum is a follow-up to the 2002-2006 "Plotting against Ecstasy" plan. The new policy measures will include enhanced law enforcement efforts to combat the production and trade of synthetic drugs; vigorous drug use prevention and information efforts; and closer international cooperation. An evaluation of the "Plotting against Ecstasy" plan indicates that it has had positive results, but notes that synthetic drugs are still being produced in the Netherlands and ecstasy is still widely available on the domestic market. End summary. Combating Synthetic Drugs Remains a Priority -------------- ¶2. On May 11 Justice Minister Hirsch Ballin sent Parliament a policy memorandum on "Continued Measures against Synthetic Drugs as of 2007," along with a final assessment of the "Plotting against Ecstasy" plan. Hirsch Ballin noted in his introduction to the memorandum that production, trade and use of synthetic drugs had national and international consequences in terms of both public health and crime, and that it gave the Netherlands a negative image as a producing country. Therefore, the National Crime Squad, regional police services, the public prosecutor's office, customs, the FIOD-ECD fiscal and economic control services, the KMar military police and the Dutch Forensic Institute have given the combat against synthetic drugs top priority. The new strategy will give particular focus to diversions of chemical precursors for synthetic drug production, a strong prevention and information campaign, and closer international cooperation. Hirsch Ballin noted that the updated synthetic drug strategy was consistent with the new government's February 2007 coalition accord, which identified fighting organized crime, including drug crime, as a priority objective. ¶3. The Justice Ministry's policy memorandum on countering synthetic drugs includes the following measures: Precursors and Hardware - Increased investments by police and the FIOD-ECD fiscal and economic control service in investigations of the production process, including chemical precursors and tableting machines. The National Crime Squad will consult with tableting machine producers to report suspect deliveries; - Intensified cooperation with chemical precursor source countries (China, Eastern Europe and Russia); - Continued cooperation with Europol, including information exchanges on seized hardware, such as tableting machines, pressure barrels, glassware and boilers; - Increased attention by Dutch and foreign customs services to new smuggling routes across eastern EU borders. Production and Trade - High priority by police and the prosecutor's office on combating criminal organizations involved in the trade and distribution of precursor chemicals, and the purchase of production hardware; - High priority by police and prosecutors to fighting criminal organizations that finance illegal business activities, control production processes, and engage in international synthetic drug trade; - Increased financial investigations aimed at asset seizures in money laundering cases; - Enhanced multidisciplinary cooperation among all enforcement organizations (National Crime Squad, the National Forensic Institute, the National Laboratory Dismantling Facility, FIOD-ECD, Customs, KMar and Europol). Trade and Distribution - Increased inspections on smuggling routes for synthetic drugs and chemical precursors; - Increased information exchange among EU enforcement agencies; - Continued controls by the Schiphol team on ecstasy couriers traveling to the US. Since 2006, the number of ecstasy couriers arrested appears to be rising again. Information and Research THE HAGUE 00001013 002 OF 003 - Increased information campaigns about the health risks of synthetic drugs; - Quantitative research about synthetic drug users' habits to improve intervention efforts. International Cooperation - Continued active participation in operational cooperation within the EU; - Continued, and if necessary, intensified, bilateral cooperation with the US (in the context of the Next Steps agreement),Australia, Canada, and Russia; - Implementation of measures to fight illegal production and trade in safrol, a chemical precursor for ecstasy. The Netherlands and the U.S. have taken the lead in combating methamphetamine production worldwide, within the context of the UN's PRISM project. Financing The additional funds of 18.6 million euros per year, which were set aside for combating ecstasy during previous five-year period, will be continued. Final Evaluation 2002-2006 Ecstasy Strategy -------------- ¶4. The third and final assessment of the 2002-2006 "Plotting against Ecstasy" strategy, conducted by the Justice Ministry's independent research center (WODC),concluded that the five-year policy plan was very effective. The WODC concluded that: - Cooperation among investigation and enforcement services has been improved; - Dozens of investigations were initiated, leading to the arrest of hundreds of suspects; - More than 20 million ecstasy tablets and thousands of liters of chemical precursors were seized; - 130 production labs were dismantled; ¶5. The WODC noted that there are clear indications that the production of synthetic drugs in the Netherlands has dropped but has not been eliminated. At the same time, it notes that factors other than Dutch enforcement policy may have played a significant role in the decline. There still is a users' market in the Netherlands for ecstasy. The price of ecstasy tablets has remained stable and relatively low and purity has remained relatively high throughout the five year period. Although the popularity of ecstasy seems to have peaked in certain parts of the western world, there are a number of significant emerging markets, resulting in continuing high demand. ¶6. According to an official in the Justice Ministry's drug policy department, the new policy measures reflect the government's commitment to fighting the production and trade of synthetic drugs. Despite the positive results over the last five years, the government concluded that although some production has shifted to other countries, the continued production of ecstasy in the Netherlands warranted the intensification of the anti-ecstasy strategy. Since the new measures outlined in the "Continued Measures" policy memorandum do not require a change in law, parliamentary approval is not needed. ¶7. According to DEA contacts, some of the funds for implementation of the new strategy will be used to establish an additional Dutch national police (KLDP) liaison officer overseas to focus specifically on ecstasy; Canada and Australia reportedly are among the countries where the new position may be established. In addition, some of the funds will be used to continue funding the Dutch national police (KLDP) liaison officer position in Washington, D.C. ¶6. Comment. A revised strategy to extend and enhance the coordinated effort initiated in 2001 to combat the production, export and consumption of ecstasy and other synthetic drugs has been anticipated for some months. The comprehensive policy measures laid out in the policy memorandum are a welcome sign that the Dutch government remains committed to stepped-up efforts against ecstasy. Particularly positive is the explicit focus on international cooperation (including with the United States),multidisciplinary cooperation among Dutch investigation and enforcement agencies, and targeting organized crime groups, which contributed to the improvement in Dutch anti-ecstasy efforts in the last five years. THE HAGUE 00001013 003 OF 003 Arnall