Seizures, properly analyzed and exploited, can lead to important information, arrests, and act as a deterrent. Must devote necessary resources to hire, train, and equip police, judicial, and customs officials. Affects quality of police forces, investigative capabilities, and corruption. Regional centers for training, education, and information sharing can help. Every nation needs ability, under rule of law, to conduct undercover operations, in absentia trials, extradition, and international system of letters rogatory.
Illicit drugs are the major source of income to international criminal groups.
International cooperation is key to effectively targeting them. In addition, drug money is now used to commercialize legitimate activity. The result is that the rule of law and democracy are undermined. Many countries need help to develop their own expertise. Multilateral Evaluation Mechanism will be an important international assessment method, but there is also need for individual countries to set achievable goals and measure efforts to meet them.