United States Drug Enforcement Administration

ATHENS, GREECE – This week, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hellenic Republic Ministry of Citizen Protection presided over the 38th annual International Drug Enforcement Conference (IDEC) in Greece. Hundreds of top drug enforcement officials from more than 130 countries discussed innovative ways to expand international cooperation with a focus on this year’s conference theme: Beyond Borders: Expanding Global Partnerships.

This solution-focused event served as a platform to discuss advancing technologies and the expansion of strategic partnerships to enhance global interdiction efforts and address emerging and evolving drug-related threats, including the evolution of synthetic drugs, advent of cryptocurrency, and intricacies of complex, global money laundering.

“Drug trafficking knows no boundaries and remains a critical issue for every nation represented at IDEC. Global criminal drug networks operate without regard for geographic borders or the rule of law, and defeating them requires a united and coordinated worldwide effort. DEA is proud to partner with the countries represented here to save lives and make communities around the world safer” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “IDEC brings together influential drug law enforcement leaders that are committed to building strategic relationships and expanding global cooperation.  I want to thank the Government of Greece, Ministry of Citizen Protection, and the Hellenic National Police their hospitality and longstanding partnership.”  

The Minister of Citizen Protection, Michalis Chrisochoidis underlined the excellent cooperation between the DEA and the Greek authorities in effectively combating drug trafficking criminal networks and emphasized international cooperation and interoperability as key principles for combating very tough, strong, large, and closed groups of organized crime. He described these principles as "the pillars upon which we must build, improve, and strengthen in order to erect a barrier against these international criminal networks."

The Chief of the Hellenic Police, Lieutenant General Dimitrios Mallios, emphasized the "paramount importance of international cooperation, the timely and accurate exchange of operational intelligence, the sharing of best practices, findings, and strategic information regarding the evolving methodologies of criminal networks, as well as the building of trust and bonds among law enforcement officials, who are ultimately called upon to assess the intelligence, plan, and operate in the field, with the common goal of dismantling global drug-trafficking criminal organizations."

Since IDEC’s inception in 1983, DEA and its rotating nation partners have hosted international agency heads and drug law enforcement leaders to enhance global intelligence efforts; strengthen transnational investigations, interdictions, and prosecutions; and disrupt the illicit drug trade.  As the world’s largest international drug law enforcement conference, IDEC aims to leverage information-sharing and enhance shared responsibilities to combat global drug trafficking.

This event was also made possible by the support of U.S. Department of States’ Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, the Colombo Plan, and the Drug Enforcement Association of Federal Narcotics Agents.

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