The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) of Brunei Darussalam have signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to boost their fight against "trafficking and abuse of narcotics drugs, psychotropic substances, new psychoactive substances, and controlled precursors and essential chemicals (CPEC)."
In a statement on Friday, Dec. 23, the PDEA explained that the MOA focuses on the Philippines and Brunei’s cooperation in combatting illicit traffic and abuse of narcotic drugs.
Specifically, these drugs are those listed in the schedules annexed to the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs such as psychotropic substances or any substance, natural or synthetic, or any natural material in Schedule I, II, III or IV of the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances; new psychoactive substances (NPS) or a range of abused substances designed to mimic established illicit drugs either in a pure form or a preparation; and controlled precursors and essential chemicals (CPECs) or chemicals listed in Tables I and II of the 1988 United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances.
The agency noted that the MOU aims to promote cooperation between the NCB and PDEA through information exchange and collaboration in investigations involving nationals of both countries, including investigations related to money laundering activities as well as investigations on trafficking, smuggling, retail, and other aspects of the drug trade.
As part of the exposure visit of the Brunei delegation, the group visited the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), the ASEAN Training Center for Preventive Drug Education (ATCPDE), and the Department of Health (DOH) Treatment and Rehabilitation Center (TRC) in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City.
Officials from the Narcotics Control Bureau of Brunei Darussalam headed by NCB Director Dato Paduka Mohd Zalani joined PDEA Director General Moro Virgilio M. Lazo and other top PDEA officials in the ceremonial signing of the MOA at the PDEA Headquarters in Quezon City last Dec. 14.