The changing nature of drug trafficking

Changing nature of drug trafficking

Although we have made astonishing advancements in terms of technologies & defense capabilities it is ironic that every day the world feels more insecure than the day before, somewhere in between all this progress we failed to recognize the importance of human security.  Security has always remained contesting and historically revolved around the ‘State’ as a referent object.  The advent of COVID-19 highlighted our ill-informed view of security, the pandemic made us mull over how pertinent non-traditional aka non-military issues have become in recent decades, the pandemic also proved that a threat may not remain confined to a ‘source’ country or region, rather have a global impact. 

Throughout the 20th century, non-traditional threats were never given due importance & always considered ‘secondary’, but this state-centric approach to security has time & again proved to be redundant. New emerging non-traditional interstate challenges like the spread of terrorism, pandemics, climate change, and cross-border trafficking of humans and drugs are in a way causing more damage than traditional challenges. That being the case, this commentary explains the changing nature of drug trafficking and its interplay with technology, and the role of pharma giants like China & India and offers a way forward. 

THE  EMERGING OPIOID – PHARMA KNOT 

A well-established research-driven pharmaceutical sector is an important asset for the overall development of human resources in any country, and in the last decade, India has rightfully emerged as a dominant player in this realm and with the unprecedented pharmaceutical rise comes other grave challenges. India produces certain controlled drugs and precursors (substances that are used in the manufacturing of illicit drugs) which has a lot of medical use but a good amount of supply is being diverted & consumed for non-medical purpose in the form of illicit drugs. The drug trade has evolved a lot, in terms of production and shipment in the last quarter century, and has become a very serious security threat in the immediate present. 

India is a leading producer of many potent opioids* like ‘tramadol’, ‘fentanyl’, and ‘ketamine’. In the medical world, these are prescribed as pain medications that reduce the sensation of pain but are widely used for illegal consumption as well. In the Middle East and Africa, Tramadol is responsible for the opioid crisis of which India is the biggest supplier. Ketamine had similarly affected the South East Asian countries. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that required precursor chemicals to be made, The United States is one of the worst affected by Fentanyl overdose, it is widely used as a substitute for heroin, but is 50x more potent than heroin, and its consumption is way more fatal if overdosed. According to the recent Annual Report of the US State Department, after China curbed its illicit synthetic opioid production, the production and distribution from India skyrocketed. 

PRODUCERS ARE NOT THE ONLY PERPETRATORS

In Asia, the role of major illicit drug-producing giants — Afghanistan and Myanmar — has been consistently transformed and there has been the engagement of other regional players mainly India and China. Due to the pressure from International bodies like UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime), some half-hearted clampdowns were initiated by governments worldwide on naturally grown opioids (opiates)* but that was more symbolic than effective.  

There has been a parallel rise in *synthetic opioid production, which doesn’t require large farms & can be made in small clandestine laboratories, and due to government restrictions minor altercations are done to their chemical compositions to bypass regulating agencies. India and China are pumping a large amount of synthetic opioids and their precursors into the international market, also acting as transit countries for the same.  

Rather than using those infamous terms like Golden Triangle and Crescent, it is better to call the whole region as ‘Golden Arch’ stretching from Afghanistan to China via Pakistan, India, Myanmar, Laos & Thailand, all these countries are unknowingly working in an interconnected manner which comprises of production, precursors & shipment of both natural & synthetic opioids. 

ROLE OF EMERGING TECH IN DRUG TRADE

With the advent of cryptocurrency, the dark web & social media platforms like Instagram there has been a replenishable supply of drugs, buying online via the internet, and e-commerce websites & on the other hand cryptocurrency provides secure end-to-end encryption for illicit financial transactions across borders.  The dark web & Social media platforms have become a perfect marketplace for connecting buyers & sellers without revealing their identities. By the time security agencies come into action, the name & identities of drugs get changed and become available again by some other names.

EVADING LOOPHOLES TO SUSTAIN DRUG NETWORK 

Most of the drugs are transported internationally via maritime routes (cargoes, mail, etc.). Container shipments which are used worldwide still rely on old ways of handling and frisking which consumes a lot of time & money, still the problem persists and drugs can’t be stopped from getting shipped. There are options for smart cargo available but of course! not all countries are willing to invest in them at the moment. Different countries have different policies for combating the illicit drug trade and there is no universal blanket ban on the non-medical use of drugs, most drugs have medical use & a complete blanket ban won’t be even possible, people who are involved in this trade exploit these loopholes.  

INDIA’S NEIGHBOURHOOD 

India’s immediate neighborhood poses serious security concerns for the country, which are quite visible in drug addiction & deteriorating health conditions in J&K, Punjab & North Eastern states.  According to a recent NATO report, the involvement of the Pakistan Army & Taliban in illegal drug trade constitutes one of the main financial sources for funding insurgency in the whole region including Kashmir.  

There is a lack of transparency on part of the governments to curb production due to very high margins. According to a recent UNODC report, Afghanistan accounts for 85% of global opium production in 2021. Taliban, even before coming to power used to trade opium to fund its operations, after coming to power they legitimized it further to assist their economy, Afghanistan’s total opioid trade is 12-14 % of their GDP. A similar situation persists with Myanmar’s military regime, which has taken half-hearted crackdowns earlier, but that was more of a symbolic gesture, as they too benefit a lot from the opium trade.

WAY FORWARD

The problem of the illicit drug trade is very complicated and its proper crackdown requires a robust multi-state intercontinental approach like real-time information sharing & a point of communication between states to intercept perpetrators & boats/cargoes carrying illicit drugs.  

Rather than imposing a complete ban on drugs focus should be given to their proper regulations.  

There is a strong state-centric approach used by countries due to which they have become more inward-looking in dealing with this problem but there is a parallel need for a localized & regional approach.  

Drug trafficking should be included in the list of international crimes for which universal jurisdiction is afforded. Pertinently, during the draft of the International Criminal Court statute, a proposal to include drug trafficking in the court jurisdiction was rejected.

Lastly, India should alleviate its role as a net security provider in the region & should forge relations with other regional players to have a free & open Indo-Pacific.  

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* Opiates are derived from opium poppies & are naturally occurring, like morphine & opium,  while opioids are either fully or partially synthetic, like heroin (semi-synthetic) & fentanyl, and tramadol (synthetic). 

“Opioids” are generally used to refer to all opiates and opioids. 

 

REFERENCES 

Opioids, cocaine, cannabis and illicit drugs  by Hannah Ritchie and Max Roser   

Fentanyl and geopolitics: Controlling opioid supply from China  Vanda Felbab-Brown 

The Evolving Regulatory Landscape for Fentanyl: China, India, and Global Drug Governance  Chao Wang, Nicholas Lassi, […], and Vinay Sharma    

The Dangerous Opioid from India  By Natalie Tecimer    

Drugs on the Web, Crime in the Streets. The Impact of Shutdowns of Dark Net Marketplaces on Street Crime  Author links open overlay panel    

Understanding the Difference Between Opiates and Opioids    

UNODC Report   

Drugs as an existential threat: An analysis of the international securitization of drugs