Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Finance

20-November-2011 16:12 IST

35th Meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies (HONLEA), Asia and Pacific Region would assist the Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies in the region in their efforts to combat illicit drug production and trafficking more effectively and to improve coordination of their action at the sub regional and regional levels. This Meeting will be held at Agra from 22-25th November, 2011. It will be inaugurated by the Finance Secretary Shri R.S.Gujral on 22nd Noember,200. About 100 participants from member countries of Asia Pacific Region, member or associate members of Economic and Social Commission of Asia and Pacific (ESCAP), UN member and the governmental organizations will be attending this event. This meeting is being hosted by Central Bureau of Narcotics (CBN) Gwalior on behalf of Government of India in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The meeting of HONLEA takes place annually in a country of the region, from among states which are members of the HONLEA Asia and Pacific, to enhance cooperation in drug law enforcement activities at the regional level. 35th Meeting of Heads of National Drug Law Enforcement Agencies (HONLEA), Asia and Pacific Region is a prestigious event which is going to be held in India. This is the second HONLEA meeting which is being hosted by India. The previous meeting was held at New Delhi in the year 1983.

The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in the year 1974 established the HONLEA as subsidiary bodies of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs to further cooperation in drug law enforcement activities at the regional level, The regions covered include Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific and Africa. The meetings usually take place annually to identify salient policy and enforcement issues in their regions, establish working groups to analyze the issues, and then bring their reports and recommendations to the attention of the Commission.

DSM

Regional drug law enforcement cooperation strengthens coordination and information-sharing to combat illicit drug production and trafficking. Regional cooperation among national drug law enforcement agencies aims to strengthen capacity to combat illicit drug production and trafficking and improve coordination of enforcement at subregional and regional levels through annual meetings that identify policy and operational challenges, promote information sharing, establish working groups, and produce reports and recommendations for senior policy bodies.