Data provided by Governments on the manufacture, use and international trade on narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors used for medical and scientific purposes are stored in the International Drug Control System (IDS) which became operational in 2004. The data available through IDS contains historical and contemporary data on drugs dating back several decades and is information that is unique to the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) and not available through other sources. The submission of data from more than 150 Governments allows INCB to chart global trends, identify and report trade discrepancies and detect possible diversions of drugs intended for licit purposes into the illicit market.
An upgrade to IDS, entitled Next Generation IDS, is currently underway to simplify the data reporting process for competent national authorities through a web-based platform. Other key features of Next Generation IDS include enhanced analysis tools, dashboards and visualizations. The upgrade will also result in deepened integration two other systems used by Governments to monitor international trade in drugs and precursors, I2ES and Pen Online/Pen Online Light. Next Gen IDS will be made available to Governments free of charge and technical assistance and training providing guidance, knowledge and skills in collecting, analysing and reporting statistics and other data on the implementation of the international drug control treaties will be provided by INCB. Ultimately, the system will enhance both Governments’ and INCB’s abilities to identify weaknesses in control mechanisms that may be exploited by traffickers or to identify anomalies in licit trade patterns that may serve as an early warning for threats facing the international community from diversions of controlled substances.
Pursuant to the provisions of the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, the 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances and the 1988 United Nations Convention Against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, Governments are required to submit quarterly and annual statistics and other information on the movement of internationally controlled drugs in their territories. The analysis of this information allows for the mapping of trends in licit trade and subsequent identification of outliers requiring investigation to determine if these anomalies are attempts to divert controlled substances from licit trade into illicit traffic.
The project is implemented in cooperation with UNODC and UNICC. So far, the developing entity has been contracted; business requirements and system design phases have been completed. The building of key features of Next Generation IDS, including the country portal, is in progress.
Envisaged activities include finalization and finetuning of the alpha version, building of beta version with country portal, analysis tools and reporting tools, testing of production ready Next Generation IDS, beta revision of Next Generation IDS, data migration and testing.
Communication and outreach activities (information briefings, seminars and printed materials) to support the 180+ Governments which are parties to the international drug control treaties in their use of Next Generation IDS. Activities will comprise the organization and conduct of online outreach activities (information briefings, seminars) as well as printed materials that will assist and guide Member States in the transition and operation of Next Generation IDS.
- Improved availability of data to better spot and react to new trends and potential diversions of drugs into the illicit market
- Contribution to standardized reporting and better quality of data through simplified data entry mechanism in the country portal and built-in data integrity checks
- Enhanced technology tools to allow for expeditious dissemination of data-related communications with Governments and enhanced knowledge management
- Stronger data interoperability between Next Generation IDS, I2ES (international import and export authorization system), PEN Online/PEN Online Light
- Simplification of data reporting process through web portal – easy access for competent national authorities to previous data submissions
- Easier consolidation of data originally stored in different systems and/or different competent national authorities
- Enhanced knowledge at the national level of the domestic situation regarding the cultivation, manufacture, use and international trade of drugs and precursors
Current State Participation
System is in development phase and has generated interest from Member States.
Secretariat of the International Narcotics Control Board, incb [dot] secretariat [at] un [dot] org (incb[dot]secretariat[at]un[dot]org)
