Synthetic Drug Initiative (Details)

Name of province/ territory:

Ontario

City/ Region:

Canada

Description of Initiative:

The Synthetic Drug Initiative (SDI) is a collaboration of government partners under the National Anti-Drug Strategy (NADS) striving to develop new ways to abate the synthetic drug problem in Canada. The SDI has developed transnational partnerships to address the challenges inherent in dealing with synthetic drug operations. Work with the domestic chemical industry, through ChemWatch and other similar programs, sensitizes people to the issues at hand and engages them in addressing the problems linked to the diversion and use of their chemicals in the illicit production of synthetic drugs.

Initiative Key Objectives:

At the domestic level, the SDI working group, which involves Public Safety Canada, Health Canada, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and other partners and stakeholders, meets quarterly to discuss emerging concerns and operational support needs geared towards enhancing law enforcement's ability to identify, disrupt and dismantle organized crime groups profiting from the production and trafficking of controlled drugs and substances.

The Clandestine Labs Teams continually initiate investigations into synthetic drug production and/or chemical diversion. These investigations focus on high-level targets operating within organized crime groups. While the complexity of these investigations varies, most are labour-intensive and require a thorough knowledge of the licit and illicit chemical industry. The investigators are required to develop skills that are tailored to the unique nature of organized crime groups that profit from synthetic drug production and trafficking.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is also working with other countries to address the procurement of chemicals by organized crime groups. This form of international collaboration enhances contacts with the chemical industry, as well as local police, to advance cooperation and real-time information exchange. The intelligence exchange is ongoing. The RCMP continues to monitor scientific lab equipment (pill presses) domestically in order to ensure that these materials don't reach organized crime groups producing synthetic drugs.

Section Responsible for Implementation:

Federal Policing

Key Contact:

Ken Cornell
ken.cornell@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

Groups/ Agencies/ Key Partners Involved:

  • other police services
  • private agencies/corporations

Level of Involvement (consultative - information sharing) and/or cooperative - direct involvement):

N/A

Amount of Time Initiative has been in Place:

The SDI was launched in the summer of 2009.

Reason for Undertaking the Initiative:

The initiatives were launched in response to the growing problems associated with the production, trafficking, export and domestic demand for illicit synthetic drugs.

Resources Required to Implement this Initiative:

There were no significant set-up costs. The SDI is a collaboration among government agencies that receive NADS funding and were already engaged in activities aimed to combat the synthetic drug problem in Canada.

Method of Implementation:

An initial concept document was prepared outlining three main pillars of the initiative: Deterrence, Prevention and Enforcement. NADS government partners formed a working group that meets quarterly to brainstorm on joint projects. Representatives from the federal government (e.g., the Minister of Public Safety), the Department of Justice and the RCMP were on hand to launch the SDI in the media in the summer of 2009.

Key Outcomes of the Initiative:

As opposed to government agencies working in silos to complete individual departmental efforts, the SDI was designed to bring all federal government partners together to collaborate on common goals. This was achieved and several important objectives were established and have been successfully completed. The SDI is an ongoing initiative that strives to create new ways to address the evolving nature of the synthetic drug problem in Canada. An excellent example of a key objective met is the ability for the RCMP and CBSA to work more closely together in an operational setting, sharing intelligence and experiences through joint training exercises, in order to focus on the illicit importation of precursor chemicals used for the production of synthetic drugs.

Availability of a Communication Strategy:

Yes

Key Messages used to Publicize the Initiative:

Clandestine drug labs pose a danger to our communities and have been found operating in many different places (e.g., motels, apartments, houses, storage lockers and rural properties). The chemicals required to produce synthetic drugs are volatile and can cause fires and/or explosions.

The police require the assistance of the general public through the identification and reporting of suspicious activities related to clandestine labs (e.g., discarded chemical containers and chemical smells). Synthetic drugs are not produced in pristine conditions or regulated by health authorities; they are created by organized crime groups that are driven by greed—groups that do not care about people's safety. People who consume illicit synthetic drugs cannot be certain as to the composition or dose of the active ingredients and therefore risk their lives. Without access to the necessary essential and precursor chemicals, organized crime groups cannot produce synthetic drugs; therefore, preventing chemical diversion is paramount.

Forms of Evaluation by which the Initiative will be Assessed:

  • internal
  • quantitative
  • qualitative
  • social return on investment

Evaluation Completed or Community Feedback Received:

No

Summary of the Outcomes:

N/A

Summary of the Performance Measure Data Collected:

N/A

Economics of Policing Pillars:

Further Details:

N/A

Additional Comments or Suggestions:

The SDI clearly demonstrates the need for all government agencies to work together in a collaborative fashion in order to meet the challenges.

Record Entry Date:

2015-03-01

Date modified: