MIAMI. – The HIM warned that the fentanyl and other synthetic drugs put at risk not only the lives of consumers, but also that of the agents who seize these substances.
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that more than 800,000 kg of synthetic drug precursor chemicals were seized in ports around the world in 2022.
“Seizures of these drugs are not without risk for law enforcement officials. Given that drugs “Synthetic substances such as fentanyl are between 50 and 100 times more potent than heroin or morphine, their incorrect handling can have fatal results for frontline agents,” the UN said.
In this sense, Marcela Ruíz, forensic sciences officer, said that there have been situations “in which agents have died because they opened a package as if it were cocaine and it turned out to be fentanyl.”
In 2023, research led by the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) showed that the number of people who died in the United States from overdoses of fentanyl combined with other stimulants multiplied by more than 50 between 2010 and 2021.
Drug identification training
The United Nations also reported that the capacity of law enforcement and control experts in international ports was reinforced through practical training on identification of drugs.
In this process, “participants learn how to safely handle and use appropriate personal protective equipment, as well as how to properly dispose of synthetic drugs.” In addition, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime promotes cooperation between agencies and uses cutting-edge technology.
In December of last year, the US Treasury Department announced the creation of a unit to combat illegal trafficking of fentanyl, while the United States and China seek to stop the flow of this opioid and its ingredients into the United States.
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Source: UN/Diario Las Américas
