Combatting International Trafficking Conference 2025

From January 21 to 23, 315 participants, including 60 international attendees from 37 countries, met in Taipei to discuss enhancing international collaboration to combat narcotrafficking. During the Global Cooperation Training Framework (GCTF) "International Workshop on Combating New Psychoactive Substances and Tracing Illicit Financial Flows," these experts and academics shared best practices on a range of topics, including investigations into darknet drug trafficking, applying forensic science to address new psychoactive substances, challenges in confiscating illicit narcotrafficking proceeds, tracking financial flows linked to organized crime, and enhancing international collaboration to combat narcotrafficking.

As law enforcement agencies increasingly seek to collaborate internationally and exchange techniques with counterparts on confronting the dual challenge of new psychoactive substances and criminals' evolving tactics for concealing illicit funds, this GCTF workshop utilize strengths and expertise of Taiwan and other GCTF partners and participants to build capacity of countries in the Indo-Pacific and across the world, while also enhancing Taiwan's multilateral cooperation.

During the opening ceremony, American Institute in Taiwan Director Raymond Greene noted, "Drug abuse affects every region globally, necessitating coordinated law enforcement efforts to target international criminal organizations," adding that this GCTF's workshop's objective is "to strengthen international mechanisms for drug prevention cooperation and facilitate global efforts in combating drug crimes."

The workshop was cohosted by the five full GCTF partners: the American Institute in Taiwan, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, Australian Office Taipei, and Canadian Trade Office in Taipei, in collaboration with Taiwan's Ministry of Justice Investigation Bureau and featured two days of seminar-style presentations, followed by a day of hands-on site visits.

Over the three days, experts from several countries, including officials from the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York, and the Homeland Security Investigations agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as well as specialists from non-profit organizations, shared advanced analytical and investigative techniques targeting cryptocurrency transactions and dark web activities. This collaboration helps dismantle the financial networks underpinning drug production and trafficking, helping to make us safer, stronger, and more prosperous.

Background on GCTF

GCTF is a capacity building platform through which Taiwan shares its expertise in tackling issues of global concern. The American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association (JTEA), the Australian Office Taipei (AO), and the Canadian Trade Office in Taipei (CTOT) jointly administer the GCTF program.

Founded in 2015, the Global Cooperation and Training Framework (GCTF) is a platform to utilize Taiwan's strengths and expertise to address global issues of mutual concern. The initiative assists countries in the Indo-Pacific and across the world with their capacity building efforts through training programs for officials and experts, while also enhancing Taiwan's multilateral cooperation.

Since 2015, the GCTF has held 85 international workshops on such topics as public health, law enforcement cooperation, women's empowerment, energy efficiency, e-commerce, cybersecurity, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief (HA/DR), and media literacy. Over 10,000 government officials, experts, and civil society representatives from 132 countries have participated in these events.

During this time, GCTF has also organized 21 overseas events in 17 countries worldwide. The GCTF International Austronesian Languages Revitalization Forum held in Palau in September 2019 was the first GCTF event to take place outside of Taiwan, with the first GCTF online workshop for Latin America taking place in September 2020, followed by the GCTF-affiliated franchise workshop in Czech Republic in September 2021.