15TH ANNUAL REGIONAL DRUG COMMANDERS CONFERENCE The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) 15th Annual Drug Commanders Conference/Pre- International Drug Enforcement Conference (Pre-IDEC) was scheduled to be held from March 16-20, 2009. This year’s conference theme is “Dynamic Vision through Partnerships with Purpose”. This year, the Government of St. Christopher and Nevis graciously agreed to co-host the conference. The conference was also funded and sponsored by the US Department of State, Narcotics Affairs Section (NAS). The DEA established the conference as a way of bringing Commanders of the Drug Units throughout the region together to identify strategies to combat illegal drug trafficking and develop working relationships with other units. Since its inception, the goal of this conference has been to promote regional cooperation among managers of drug law enforcement units who have the primary responsibility of conducting criminal investigations and collecting intelligence on major trafficking organizations operating in the region. The conference has also been a means of informing commanders of pending legislation regarding drug law enforcement within the region. The theme of this year’s conference is to develop a partnership mindset, through joint investigations and coordination that result in a powerful impact on the flow of narcotics and narcotics proceeds through the Caribbean Region. Various topics will be discussed centered on our goal, to include identifying/utilizing assets in the region, confidential source recruiting, operational funding, understanding legal issues throughout the Caribbean, importance of including a financial aspect to drug investigations, and more. Drug Commanders and members from the various Financial Investigative Units (FIU’s) representing; Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, France, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, St. Christopher and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, United Kingdom, and the United States were invited.
