Safe Mekong Coordination Centre (SMCC)

Background

                The problem of illicit drug production and trafficking remains serious in the area of the Golden Triangle and the Mekong Sub-region as well as affect the ASEAN region. The Mekong River has been used as the trafficking route for illicit drug smuggling from the Golden Triangle area and the Upper Mekong down south to countries in the Lower Mekong. Originally, 3 ASEAN Member States, namely Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Thailand, which located in the Mekong Sub-region, cooperated with China in implementing the Safe Mekong Operation in 2015.

                China initiated the Safe Mekong Operation in 2013 during 20 April - 20 June 2013 and established the Safe Mekong Coordination Centre (SMCC) in Yunnan Province, China by National Narcotics Control Commission (NNCC). Thailand by Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) hosted the Second Phase of the Safe Mekong Operation in 2015 for 2 months during 12 January - 12 March 2015 and set up the Safe Mekong Coordination Centre (SMCC) in Chiang Mai Province to serve as the information and operation coordinating centre. After the end of the said 2-month Operation, member countries agreed to extend the Safe Mekong Operation to cover another 5 months during 11 May - 30 September 2015. In 2016, Cambodia and Viet Nam were invited to join the Safe Mekong Operation under the 3-Year Safe Mekong Operation Plan (2016 -  2018)

The opening of the Safe Mekong Coordination Centre in Chiang Mai, in 2015,

            The Safe Mekong Coordination Centres (SMCC) were set up by all 6 member countries in accordance with the 4-Year Safe Mekong Operation Plan (2019 - 2022) as the main mechanism for the coordination among 6 member countries, for the launching of operation of each member country, for the exchange of information/intelligence, the implementation of the Safe Mekong Operation Plan, the organization of meetings at senior officials level and ministerial level as well as the organization of trainings of operational officers of member countries. Member countries of the Safe Mekong Operation will take turn to host the SMCC for the joint cooperation.

            The implementation of the Safe Mekong Operation also supports the ASEAN Cooperation Plan to Tackle Illicit Drug Production in the Golden Triangle 2020 - 2022 since illicit drugs produced in the Golden Triangle has affected ASEAN Member States, 5 member countries of the Safe Mekong Operation are ASEAN Member States.

Objectives

1. To interdict illicit drugs, precursors and chemicals trafficked along the Mekong River especially the trafficking at the initial route from the production areas in the Golden Triangle.

2. To interdict illicit drugs and precursor chemicals trafficking across the Mekong River and connected area which is the gateway of drug to other countries in other regions.

3. To strengthen the international cooperation at operational level among 6 members of the Safe Mekong Operation.to blockade the illicit drugs in the Golden Triangle area.

4. To reduce the drug production capacity in the Golden Triangle area.

5. To enhance the cooperation among 6 member countries for being the model of common drug problem solution and receiving the recognition by the international communities.

Strategy

          The united alliance of the 6 member countries to blockade illicit drugs in the Golden Triangle

                The illicit drug production in the Golden Triangle and illicit drug trafficking along the Mekong River need the joint cooperation, cannot be solved by a single country. The Safe Mekong Operation, therefore, is a model of international narcotic law enforcement cooperation, which is conducted systematically on the basis of trust of the 6 member countries which have worked together under the slogan of “ONE MISSION, ONE GOAL, ONE FAMILY”. Mechanism of the Safe Mekong Coordination Centre has been established in all 6 member countries to function as the connecting points to promote closer cooperation among 6 member countries.

Implementation

A. The Safe Mekong Operation Plan

The long-term Safe Mekong Operation Plan was formulated as follows:

1. The 3-Year Safe Mekong Operation Plan (2016 - 2018)

2. The 4-Year Safe Mekong Operation Plan (2019 - 2022)

3. The 5-Year Safe Mekong Operation Plan (2023 - 2027)

             Under the 3-Year Safe Mekong Operation Plan (2016 - 2018), the member countries agreed to set up the Golden Triangle Operation Plan in 2017 and defined 11 targeted operation areas which were known as illicit trafficking routes of precursor chemicals and narcotic drugs, illicit drug production equipment.

             The 4- Year Safe Mekong Operation Plan (2019 - 2022) was the continuation plan of the 6 member countries which focused on the interception on land route and waterways, including areas at risk along the border. The SMCC system has been developed for data collection and sharing information/intelligence among member countries.

B. The Golden Triangle Operation 1511

             In 2019, the Golden Triangle Operation 1511 was launched during the the Ministerial Meeting of the 1993 MOU on Drug Control in Mekong Sub-region hosted by Thailand in Bangkok on 15 November 2019 with the objectives to intensify the operation in 11 targeted areas identified by 6 member countries and to put the pressure on the illicit drug trafficking in the Golden Triangle. The Operation 1511 was implemented under the 4-Year Safe Mekong Operation Plan (2019 - 2022) which was approved by the national drug control focal agencies of member countries.

C. Establishment of the Safe Mekong Coordination Centre (SMCC)

            The Safe Mekong Coordination Centre is implemented under the Safe Mekong Operation Pan with the objective to be the centre for coordination of information/intelligence exchange among member countries, for launching the operation in targeted area of each member countries, for implementing the Safe Mekong Operation Plan and for the data collection. The SMCC developed the SMCC System as well as the SMCC Data System for exchanging of information/intelligence among member countries.

            The Safe Mekong Coordination Centre of Thailand in Chiang Mai was moved to Chiang Saen District in Chiang Rai in February, 2022 to be close to the Mekong River.

D. Meetings and Trainings

            The Safe Mekong Operation Coordination Centre of each member Country takes turn to organize the meetings of the Safe Mekong Operation at senior official level and ministerial level of member countries. The member countries need capacity building for the operational officers of member countries for more efficient operation.

            From the implementation during the past years, the successful outcome of the Safe Mekong Operation was resulted from the cooperation of member countries comprising the sharing of information/intelligence, the operation in targeted areas, the strong determination and serious action taken towards illicit drug production and trafficking and the illicit precursor chemical smuggling; large amount of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals were seized. Furthermore, the mechanism of the Safe Mekong Coordination Centres were establish in all 6 member countries to function as coordinating points and to promote closer cooperation of 6 member countries.