The one-week course in the BVI has attracted law enforcement officials from several countries in the region, including Barbados, Suriname, St Lucia, Anguilla and the Bahamas. Officers from the BVI’s Customs and Police Departments also participated in the training.

The course covered a range of issues, including the international framework for drug control, drug identification, the use of chemicals in the production of illicit drugs, methods used to smuggle or divert chemicals for drug production and officer safety.

Comptroller of Customs Wade Smith said some common chemicals used in the commercial, industrial and manufacturing sectors are often diverted and used in the production of illicit drugs. He said these illicit products include heroine and cocaine, as well as synthetic drugs, such as amphetamine-type stimulants.

Smith said law enforcement officers are therefore faced with the challenge of maintaining sufficient controls to prevent the movement of these chemicals for illicit purposes, while at the same time, ensuring their availability for legitimate business.

The head of Customs said it is therefore necessary for governments in the region to have in place the necessary legislation, regulations and administrative systems to control the illicit movement of chemicals. He said, in addition, law enforcement officials need to have the basic knowledge and skills in relation to the control of chemicals before they can effectively fulfill their responsibilities.

He said the training also focused on the use of various techniques to profile persons who may be carrying drugs strapped to their bodies, concealed in their luggage, or in some cases, even swallowed to evade law enforcement officers.

The course, referred to as the Caribbean Chemical Control Training Seminar, was organised by the BVI Customs Department in collaboration with the Caribbean Customs Law Enforcement Council (CCLEC) and the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD).

CICAD, a Spanish acronym for the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission, is the body of the Organisation of American States (OAS) concerned with the drug problem in the Americas. It has 34 member states in North, South and Central America and the Caribbean.