National

Meet to discuss misuse of precursor chemicals

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI FEB. 18. An international meeting of experts on preventing diversion of precursor chemicals for illicit manufacture of Amphetamine Type Stimulant (ATS) was inaugurated by the Minister of State for Finance, Gingee N. Ramachandran, here today. Mr. Ramachandran said out of 23 precursor chemicals listed in the U.N. Convention 1988, 15 were manufactured in the country for various legitimate uses. Ephedrine and their salts were used for illicit manufacture of the ATS.

There were strict checks on the movement of such substances and the Central Bureau of Narcotics is scrutinising the export of major ATS precursors .

"Precursor chemicals in fact have legitimate industrial uses. But these substances have a serious potential for damage when diverted for manufacture of illicit narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances,'' the Minister cautioned. He said the meeting of the experts group had been convened by the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) to evaluate the substances used in illicit manufacture of ATS and also to examine illicit trade patterns and methods of diversion and trafficking routes.

The conference would review actual cases of diversion as well as attempted diversion of the precursors. It would determine the actions needed to prevent such diversion from international trade, domestic distribution channels and cross-border smuggling and trafficking at the regional level.

Being organised by the Central Bureau of Narcotics, the four-day conference is being attended by experts from Belgium, China, Hong Kong, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Vietnam, the U.K., the U.S. as well as the European Commission and the Interpol.

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