Published: April 2023
Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse On Board Ship. Guidelines for Owners and Masters on Preparation, Prevention, Protection and Response, 2023 - 2024 Edition
This publication provides guidance on how to combat drug trafficking at sea and to recognise the signs of drug use and dependence among crew members.
Considered the leading industry publication on the topic, this 2023 - 2024 edition has been fully updated by industry experts to assist shipping companies, Masters and officers, to help prepare, prevent, protect and how to respond when faced with drug trafficking and drug abuse at sea.
These Guidelines provide essential professional guidance for shipping companies, ports, Masters, ships’ officers, cargo owners, government officials, customs and the maritime industry as a whole. Use of these Guidelines can help to protect the shipping industry from the reputational and commercial damage that may be associated with drug incidents. They identify shipboard operational considerations and responses, as well as the training and procedures that are required both ashore and on board. Government and other organisations should ensure that ports and ships are able to embrace a positive security culture by facilitating the necessary measures against the various types of threats from drug traffickers. This Guide provides information necessary for seafarers to act responsibly and in accordance with appropriate advice.
These Guidelines also explore all aspects of protection in port facilities, along with aspects of cooperation between ports and ships that can help prevent drug trafficking from taking place. Drug abuse and trafficking are not a self-contained threat, but are manifestations of a much wider assault on legitimate infrastructure and transport networks across the world. Whether this activity is orchestrated by criminal or terrorist organisations, the methodologies employed are sophisticated and dynamic. Successful responses need to be equally sophisticated and require a comprehensive and strategic approach to security, not just to a specific commodity or method of attack. Section B of these Guidelines details a number of specific measures that deal with the protection of physical assets and people, the protection of information and processes and the exponentially increasing challenges of cyber security.
Table of Contents
Section A – Preparation – Understanding the Security Challenges
Chapter 1 – All Ports and Seas are Vulnerable
1.1 Strategic Response
1.2 Defining the Problem
1.3 Preparation, Protection, Prevention and Response Drug and Alcohol (D&A) Policy
1.4 Drug and Alcohol (D&A) Policy
1.4.1 D&A Related Procedures
1.4.2 The Master’s Responsibilities
1.4.3 Legal Drug and Medication Use
1.4.4 Testing Procedure
1.5 An Introduction to Measures to Safeguard a Ship Against Drug Trafficking
1.6 Assessing the Risk of Drug Trafficking by Ship for Specific Routes
1.7 Global Drug Trafficking Route
1.7.1 Key Global Routes – Flows of Heroin from/to Countries (or Regions)
1.7.2 Key Global Routes – Flows of Cocaine from/to Countries (or Regions)
1.7.3 Key Global Routes – Flows of Methamphetamine from/to Countries (or Regions) Commentary on Key Drug Routes Affecting Merchant Shipping
1.8 Frequent Ports and Places Targeted by Drug Traffickers
1.8.1 High Profile Drug Seizures – Africa
1.8.2 High Profile Drug Seizures – The Americas
1.8.3 High Profile Drug Seizures – Middle East/Asia
1.8.4 High Profile Drug Seizures – Europe
1.8.5 High Profile Drug Seizures – Oceania
Chapter 2 – The Threat to Ships
2.1 Vulnerabilities of Shipping
2.2 Drug Seizures On Board Ship
2.2.1 Drug Seizures on Dry Cargo Vessels Across 2020 to 2023
2.2.2 Drug Seizures on Tankers Across 2020 to 2023
2.2.3 Drug Seizures on Passenger Ships Across 2020 to 2023
Chapter 3 – Risk Management
3.1 Security Strategy
3.2 The ISPS Code
3.2.1 Ship Security Plan
3.2.2 Designated Roles and Certification
3.3 The ILO/IMO Code of Practice on Security in Ports
3.4 STCW
3.4.1 Mandatory Security Training
3.4.2 STCW Drug Abuse Guidelines
3.5 The SAFE Framework of Standards
3.6 The Container Control Programme (CCP)
3.7 Guidelines for Prevention and Suppression of Illicit Drugs for International Shipping
Section B - Protection
Chapter 4 - Organisational Behaviour Leading to Enhanced Security Culture
4.1 Personnel Security Strategy
4.2 Personnel Control
4.3 Social Engineering
4.4 Procedural Protection Measures
4.5 Information Protection Measures
Chapter 5 – Physical Security Measures
5.1 Port Facility Protection Measures (Physical)
5.2 Port Facility Security Procedures
5.3 Ship Security Procedures
5.3.1 Role of the Ship Security Officer (SSO) on a Merchant Ship with Reference to Drug Trafficking Prevention
5.3.2 Ship Access Control and Identification
5.3.3 External Concealment Protection Measures on Ships
5.3.4 Hostile Reconnaissance
5.4 Port and Ship Cooperation
Chapter 6 – Cyber Security Measures
6.1 Cyber Risk and Drug Trafficking
6.2 How is Cyber-Enabled Trafficking Accomplished?
6.2.1 Online Hostile Reconnaissance
6.3 Cyber Protection Measures
6.4 Social Engineering by Electronic Means
6.5 Cyber Risk Management – Maritime Industry Requirements and Guidelines
Section C – Prevention
Chapter 7 – National and International Cooperation
7.1 Regional Cooperation Examples
7.2 Anti-Corruption and Anti-Bribery
7.2.1Identifying Bribery
Chapter 8 – Training and Education
8.1 Training Needs
8.2 Responsibilities for Delivery of Training Programmes
8.3 Training Slides
8.3.1 Suggested Presentation at Ship Level
8.3.2 Suggested Presentation at Corporate Level
Chapter 9 – Penalties and Prosecution
9.1 Legal Consequences
9.1.1 Maritime Labour Convention Requirements
9.2 National Penalties
9.3 Prosecuting Trafficking on the High Seas
Section D - Response
Chapter 10 - Tactical
10.1 Unusual Activity at Sea
10.2 Unusual Activity While in Port
10.3 Potential for Drug Trafficking on Cruise Ships
10.4 Potential for Drug Trafficking and Abuse on Yachts
10.4.1 Trade Routes
10.4.2 Notable Yacht Seizures
10.4.3 Actions in the Event of Drugs Found On Board
10.4.4 Drug Use and/or Abuse On Board Yachts
10.4.5 Company Policies
10.5 Suspicious Circumstances On Board
10.6 Incidents Involving Crew
10.6.1 Procedure Where Illegal Drug Use is Suspected
10.7 Medical Response
Chapter 11 – Operational
11.4.1 Dry Cargo
11.4.2 Tankers
11.4.3 Passenger/RoRo
11.5 Searching the Ship
11.5.1 Search Planning
11.5.2 Reactive Search
11.5.3 Targeted Search
11.5.4 Preventative Search
11.5.5 Methods of Searching
11.6 Additional Considerations
11.6.1 Freight Vehicles and Dumb Trailers
11.6.2 Other Freight
11.6.3 Ships’ Stores
11.6.4 Miscellaneous Deliveries to Ships and Ports
11.6.5 Search Duration/Time
Chapter 12 – Actions When Drugs are Found
12.1 Safety Considerations
12.2 Actions When Drugs are Found On Board
Section E – Recognition of Drugs
Chapter 13 – Drugs and Addiction
13.1 Broad Classification
13.2 Drug Addiction
13.2.1 Risk of Addiction – Genetic or Environmental
13.2.2 Physical Addiction
13.2.3 Psychological Addiction
13.3 Drugs Permitted On Board
Chapter 14 – Alcohol and Addiction
14.1 Alcohol Restrictions
14.2 Responding to Alcohol Abuse
14.3 Alcohol Addiction
14.44 Alcohol on Cruise Ships
Chapter 15 – Emerging Drug Trends
15.1 New Psychoactive Substances
15.1.2 Synthetic Benzodiazepines (BZDs)
15.2 Opioids
15.2.1 Fentanyl
15.2.2 Tramadol
15.3 Captagon
15.4 Cannabis Legalisation
Chapter 16 – Drug Characteristics and Identification
16.1 Cannabis
16.2 Opiates and Opioids
16.3 Cocaine
16.4 Hallucinogens (Psychedelics)
16.5 Amphetamine-Type Stimulants (ATS) (and New Psychoactive Substances (NPS))
16.6 Sedative Drugs
Chapter 17 – Legitimate Packaged Chemical Cargoes
Annex 1 – Checklists – Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse On Board
1. Drug Trafficking – Security Procedure to Prevent Trafficking of Drugs On Board
2. Drug Trafficking – Search Procedure if Illegal Drugs are Believed to be On Board
3. Drug Trafficking – Procedure if a Crew Member is Suspected of Trafficking Drugs On Board
4. Drug Trafficking – Actions if Suspected Drugs are Discovered On Board
5. Drug Trafficking – Actions in the Event of Confirmed Drug Trafficking by a Crew Member On Board
6. Drug Trafficking – Actions if a Passenger is Confirmed as Trafficking Drugs On Board
7. Drug Abuse On Board – By a Crew Member
8. Drug Abuse On Board – By a Passenger
9. Familiarisation Checklist on Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse Awareness for New Joiners
Annex 2 - Warning Poster
Annex 3 - Drug Seizure Statistics in Ships, Ports and at Sea 2020–2023
Annex 4 - Customs Authority Contacts
Reporting
Customs Authority Contacts
References
