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Singapore to host anti-drug conference for Asian cities

Singapore will organise an anti-drug conference for Asian cities in August next year, said the National Council against Drug Abuse (NCADA).
Singapore will organise an anti-drug conference for Asian cities inAugust next year, said the National Council against Drug Abuse (NCADA).

Mayors, officials and non-governmentalorganisations from Asian cities can be expected to meet to discuss theirrespective drug situations and find ways against “sophisticated andwell-organised commercial interests”, “The Straits Times” daily quotedNCADA Chairman Victor Lye as saying.

The move is aimed atpushing back the momentum of drug liberalisation policies that morecountries and cities have adopted in recent years, said the NCADAChairman.

According to Lye, the NCADA-led event will comeahead of the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (Ungass)on Drugs to be held in 2016 at the request of Colombia, Guatemala andMexico to discuss drug policy reform.

For many years, Singaporehas intensified its fight against drug abuse and trafficking. In 2013,the Central Narcotics Bureau conducted 46 major operations, including 19island-wide operations, crippling 20 drug syndicates and arresting3,581 drug abusers. The estimated street value of the drugs seized in2013 amounted to 20.5 million SGD, 12 per cent higher than the estimated18.3 million SGD in 2012.-VNA
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