Brasilia, 28 November 2017. From 28 November to 1 December in the city of Brasilia, the "2^nd COPOLAD II Week on Precursors" takes place. The Cooperation Programme between Latin America, the Caribbean and the European Union on Drugs Policies (COPOLAD) is funded by the European Union and managed by the International and Ibero-American Foundation for Administration and Public Policy (FIIAPP).

In the framework of the COPOLAD Programme and on behalf of the Intelligence Centre against Terrorism and Organized Crime of Spain (CITCO), the National Secretariat for Drug Policy of Brazil (SENAD), the Brazilian Federal Police and the National Sanitary Surveillance Agency (ANVISA), this meeting annual is taking place, continuing its efforts to articulate a bi-regional cooperation between forensic experts and analysts from Latin America and the Caribbean and the European Union, with the aim of effectively addressing the threat posed by the proliferation of new psychoactive substances that is taking place on both sides of the Atlantic, and whose impact is global.

Welcoming words to the participants in the 2^nd COPOLAD II Week on Precursors were given by Secretary General of the National Secretariat for Drug Policy of Brazil (SENAD), Dr Humberto Viana, accompanied by the Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union in Brazil, Claudia Gintersdorfer, José Andrés Pérez López, Head of International Cooperation Area at the Intelligence Centre against Terrorism and Organized Crime of Spain (CITCO), the Scientific Technical Director of the Federal Police of Brazil (FP), Amaury Alan Martins de Souza Junior, the General Manager of Monitoring of Products Subject to Sanitary Surveillance (GGMON) at the Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA), Fernanda Maciel Rebelo and the Director of the Department of Public Administration and Social Affairs, German García da Rosa.

Representatives of Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Spain, France, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela will participate in this international meeting hosted by the Government of Brazil, along with TAXUD, EEAS, EMCDDA and CICAD/OAS.

Precursor chemicals, the key to tackle and anticipate the emergence of new psychoactive substances

In order to develop an effective strategy in combating the diversion of drug precursors, it is considered essential to study in a practical way, the problem of the rapid appearance of new psychoactive substances not included in the control lists of countries, which highlights the need to review national systems.

Forensic knowledge and study of the processes for manufacturing synthetic drugs, the detailed examination of clandestine laboratories and the chemical analysis of the substances used, are valuable elements in the operational research of illicit diversion. Only then a response can be given to the wide adaptive capacity of criminal organizations in the variation of their "modus operandi" and the use of not-listed alternative substances, allowing them to evade control mechanisms and existing controls and that is proving a challenge for countries that are requiring a comprehensive strategic approach, intelligence sharing, specialized training and maximum cooperation and exchange of public-private information, both regionally and internationally, to promote prevention and control this criminal activity.

Therefore, the 2^nd COPOLAD II Annual Week on Precursors consist of a workshop to share country experiences on new threats related to synthetic drugs, their new precursors and new psychoactive substances, and a field visit to meet Brazil's experience, a leading country in the region in this area, in terms of specialized and accredited forensic laboratories in the analysis of new psychoactive substances and precursors.       .