NCJ Number
134992
Date Published
1991
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This article reviews international efforts to monitor and control the movement of precursors and essential chemicals that are used in the illicit manufacture of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, so as to prevent their diversion to the illicit market.
Abstract
The article first outlines the most common methods of pharmaceutical diversion to illicit markets as identified at a conference on such diversion held in Rome in May 1984. Based on the information and concerns generated at a number of international meetings as well as the experiences of various national monitoring systems, the United Nations adopted a Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances on December 19, 1988. Parties to the convention are required to enact laws that will designate as criminal offenses those described in the convention; the offenses are intended to sanction and deter various acts integral to the diversion of precursors and essential chemicals to the illegal drug market. The convention also delineates measures to monitor the trade in precursor chemicals. The Organization of American States in 1990 adopted model regulations to control chemical precursors and chemical substances, machines, and materials designed to facilitate the application of Article 12 of the 1988 United Nations convention which provides measures to monitor the trade in precursor chemicals. In December 1990 the Council of Europe adopted a regulation with measures to discourage the diversion of certain substances to the illicit manufacture of drugs and psychotropic substances. Measures to counter the diversion of precursor chemicals have also come from the G-7 Chemical Action Task Force, Interpol, and the Customs Cooperation Council.