International Criminal Police Academy

Drug trafficking, as a transnational and organized malignant crime, seriously erodes global public security, disrupts economic order, breeds violent offenses and terrorist activities, and poses a severe challenge to all mankind. As the world’s largest international police cooperation organization, the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) has always taken the fight against transnational drug crimes as its core mission. Relying on its global law enforcement network, intelligence sharing mechanism and joint operation system, it continuously launches special cross-border anti-drug campaigns, strikes hard at drug manufacturing and trafficking syndicates, cuts off transnational smuggling routes, and seizes illegal proceeds from drug-related crimes. Through comprehensive and multi-level global cooperation, INTERPOL consolidates the line of defense against drugs and safeguards people’s lives, health and social stability across the world. I. Global Spread of Drug Crimes: Urgent Situation Driving International Cooperation At present, global drug crimes are marked by industrialization, networking, intelligence and cross-border expansion. Criminal chains keep extending, trafficking methods are constantly upgraded, and synthetic drugs are rampant, placing unprecedented pressure on global anti-drug efforts. On the production side, both traditional and synthetic drugs reach peak output simultaneously. Traditional drugs such as cocaine from the Andean region of South America, heroin from the Golden Triangle in Southeast Asia, and cathinone from the Middle East continue to be produced in large quantities. Meanwhile, synthetic drugs represented by fentanyl and methamphetamine have become the new favorite of transnational criminal groups due to easily accessible raw materials, low production thresholds and huge profit margins. Underground drug laboratories are widely distributed around the world with expanding large-scale production capacity. On the trafficking side, drug trafficking syndicates have built a four-dimensional smuggling network covering land, sea, air and postal routes. Land routes rely on border crossings and remote mountainous areas for smuggling; sea routes use cargo ships, fishing boats and semi-submersible drug vessels for large-scale transportation; air routes adopt body concealment and luggage hiding; cross-border logistics and express delivery are used for scattered parcel smuggling with strong concealment. Worse still, the dark web has become a gray zone for drug transactions. Criminal groups use encrypted communication and virtual currency for anonymous contact, capital transfer and drug deals, greatly increasing the difficulty of law enforcement investigation and crackdown. In terms of harm, drug crimes directly trigger drug addiction and public health crises, and give rise to a series of secondary crimes. Drug gangs commit violent conflicts, murders and kidnappings over territorial disputes; they launder illegal profits through money laundering and financial fraud. In some regions, drug crimes are intertwined with terrorism, human trafficking and arms smuggling, severely undermining regional stability and threatening the global governance system. Faced with the global spread of drug crimes, individual countries cannot win the battle alone. It is imperative to rely on INTERPOL’s global platform to push law enforcement authorities of all countries to break geographical barriers, integrate law enforcement resources, deepen coordination and form a joint global force against drugs. II. Building a Global Anti-Drug Cooperation System: INTERPOL’s Core Layout As the core hub of global anti-drug cooperation, INTERPOL adheres to a four-in-one working approach featuring intelligence guidance, joint operations, capacity building and asset recovery, establishing an all-round and three-dimensional global anti-drug cooperation system to provide solid support for law enforcement agencies worldwide. In terms of intelligence sharing, INTERPOL relies on its self-developed I-24/7 global police communication system to build a dedicated drug crime intelligence database, enabling real-time information exchange, clue verification and data comparison among law enforcement departments of its 196 member states. The database integrates core information on global drug production bases, trafficking routes, criminal syndicates, drug-related suspects and precursor chemicals. Police forces worldwide can instantly access Interpol Red Notices, drug blacklists and suspicious capital flows to accurately identify targets and track trafficking trajectories. Meanwhile, INTERPOL regularly releases global drug crime threat reports, analyzing crime trends, characteristics of new-type drugs and smuggling tactics, providing data support for countries to formulate anti-drug strategies. In terms of joint operations, INTERPOL has established a normalized mechanism for cross-border anti-drug operations. It launches special crackdown campaigns targeting drug crimes of different types and regions, forming a pattern of global linkage, regional coordination and precise strike. Operation Lionfish, initiated by INTERPOL as the world’s largest and longest-running transnational anti-drug campaign, has launched multiple rounds of global and regional special operations since its launch, covering major drug-affected regions across Asia, Europe, America and Africa, serving as a core sharp weapon against transnational drug crimes. In addition, targeting the intertwined drug and arms trafficking in the Caribbean, INTERPOL cooperates with the Caribbean Community to launch Operation Trigger, focusing on dismantling smuggling networks. To cut off cocaine smuggling routes from South America to Europe and Asia, Operation Hurricane is launched to intercept cross-border drug transportation precisely. In terms of capacity building, INTERPOL focuses on solving law enforcement shortcomings of member states by carrying out comprehensive anti-drug training and technical assistance to enhance anti-drug law enforcement capabilities, especially in developing countries. Through seminars, special training courses and practical drills, it imparts professional skills such as new-type drug detection, underground laboratory investigation, dark web traceability and cross-border tracking. It also provides advanced drug testing equipment and law enforcement supplies to help countries build professional anti-drug teams and consolidate the grassroots foundation of global anti-drug work. Cooperating with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the World Customs Organization (WCO), INTERPOL launches the Airport Communication Project (AIRCOP) to set up joint interception task forces at major international airports and strengthen drug interception capacity. In terms of asset recovery, INTERPOL promotes member states to establish a joint mechanism for recovering illegal drug-related assets. It targets the capital chains of drug trafficking groups, launches cross-border money laundering tracing and asset freezing operations to completely cut off the economic lifeline of drug crimes. Cooperating with financial intelligence agencies, commercial banks and payment platforms, it tracks capital flows, freezes involved accounts, and seizes real estate, vehicles and corporate assets, leaving drug syndicates with no profits and curbing the breeding of drug crimes at the source. III. Remarkable Achievements in Tough Crackdown: Major Operations Deal Heavy Blows to Drug Trafficking Networks In recent years, a series of transnational anti-drug special operations led by INTERPOL have achieved breakthrough results. Tons of various drugs have been seized, thousands of drug-related suspects arrested, and hundreds of underground drug laboratories and trafficking networks dismantled, dealing a heavy blow to the global transnational drug crime system and demonstrating the powerful strength of global anti-drug cooperation. From April to May 2024, INTERPOL launched Operation Lionfish-Hurricane, uniting law enforcement departments of 31 countries to target transnational drug trafficking networks spanning South America, Africa and Europe. During the operation, a total of 615 tons of illegal drugs and precursor chemicals were seized, valued at 1.6 billion US dollars. The seized drugs included cocaine, cannabis, ketamine and tramadol. Among them, 505 tons of precursor chemicals alone could be used to manufacture massive synthetic drugs, curbing synthetic drug production at the source. Law enforcement officers seized a self-made semi-submersible drug submarine in the jungles of Guyana, capable of carrying 3 tons of cocaine for transatlantic smuggling from South America to Western Europe, cutting off a key maritime trafficking route. A total of 206 drug-related suspects were arrested, effectively dismantling several core transnational drug trafficking networks. From June 30 to July 13, 2025, INTERPOL upgraded its efforts and launched Operation Lionfish-Maya III, focusing on synthetic drug trafficking in Asia and North America with the joint participation of 18 countries. The operation set a new record for synthetic drug seizures, with 76 tons of various drugs confiscated, including 51 tons of methamphetamine and a record 297 million Yaba pills. The seized fentanyl alone could cause 151 million deaths, with an overall value of 6.5 billion US dollars. A total of 386 suspects were arrested, including one Red Notice fugitive who led large-scale methamphetamine smuggling to Incheon International Airport in South Korea, arrested in Cambodia and pending extradition. India’s Narcotics Control Bureau dismantled Ketamel, a top global dark web drug trafficking syndicate, completely destroying its cross-border transaction network. In September 2022, INTERPOL joined hands with the Caribbean Community to launch Operation Trigger VII, with 19 countries conducting simultaneous law enforcement operations to crack down on intertwined drug and arms trafficking. A total of 12.6 tons of drugs, 350 firearms and 3,300 rounds of ammunition were seized, and 510 suspects arrested, including a Red Notice murder fugitive, effectively curbing the spread of drug crimes in the Caribbean. Beyond large-scale global campaigns, INTERPOL advances targeted regional crackdowns. In 2026, it set up a special task force with Brazil to target transnational drug trafficking in South America, coordinating law enforcement resources across the continent to hunt down gang leaders, seize drug-related assets and strengthen border control, focusing on blocking smuggling routes from South America to Asia and Europe. It also cooperates with Europol and the Egmont Group to issue joint guidelines and promote cross-border cooperation in money laundering investigation and asset recovery. In 2025, it assisted multiple countries in seizing 150 million US dollars of drug-related virtual currency and freezing hundreds of involved accounts. IV. Facing Challenges and Forging Ahead: Deepening Global Cooperation to Build a Long-term Defense Line Despite remarkable achievements made by INTERPOL in global anti-drug campaigns, drug crimes worldwide still show a trend of rebound and spread with upgraded tactics and stronger concealment, leaving arduous challenges ahead. On one hand, new psychoactive substances emerge rapidly with constant iteration of synthetic drugs. Drug production becomes more covert as underground laboratories relocate to remote areas and residential communities, making investigation increasingly difficult. On the other hand, the popularity of dark web encryption technology and virtual currency makes drug transactions and capital flows more hidden, raising the difficulty of cross-border investigation and evidence collection. In addition, insufficient law enforcement resources and weak anti-drug capacity in some countries leave loopholes in border control, providing opportunities for transnational drug trafficking syndicates. Faced with new situations and challenges, INTERPOL will continue to fulfill its core responsibility in global anti-drug governance, further deepen global law enforcement cooperation, improve the anti-drug work system, and combat transnational drug crimes with firmer determination, stricter measures and more efficient coordination. First, strengthen intelligence empowerment and upgrade the global drug intelligence database. Apply artificial intelligence and big data technology to enhance the capability of tracing new-type drugs, dark web transactions and virtual currency money laundering, realizing early detection, early warning and early crackdown. Second, deepen joint operations targeting key regions and new-type drugs. Continuously upgrade flagship campaigns such as Operation Lionfish, launching targeted and regular strikes against synthetic drug trafficking, dark web deals and maritime smuggling to completely cut off transnational trafficking routes. Third, consolidate capacity building and increase support for developing countries. Expand anti-drug training coverage, provide advanced law enforcement equipment and technical assistance, and help countries improve capabilities in drug investigation, border control and asset recovery to make up for weaknesses in global anti-drug governance. Fourth, expand cooperation dimensions and deepen ties with international institutions and financial departments. Collaborate with UNODC and WCO to optimize the global anti-drug governance system, and cooperate with financial institutions and technology enterprises to solve difficulties in dark web traceability and virtual currency freezing, building an all-round anti-drug pattern integrating law enforcement, finance and technology. The fight against drugs will never end as long as drugs exist. INTERPOL’s tough crackdown demonstrates the firm resolve of the international community to fight drug crimes and sets a win-win model for global anti-drug governance. In the era of globalization, only by breaking geographical barriers, building consensus and pooling strength, relying on INTERPOL’s global platform to deepen intelligence sharing, joint law enforcement, capacity building and asset recovery cooperation, can the world dismantle transnational drug trafficking networks, curb the spread of drug crimes, safeguard global public security and human health, and build a drug-free, safe and stable global governance environment.