By: International Unit

YOGYAKARTA, June 21, 2023 – Malaysia through the National Anti-Drugs Agency (NADA) participated in the 23rd ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (23rd SOMTC) and Its Related Meetings on June 19 to 21, 2023 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

This year, Indonesia will be the host and the spoke person during the meeting through the Head of the Criminal Investigation Division, Indonesian National Police, who is also the Chairman of the SOMTC.

The 23rd SOMTC meeting became a platform at the international, regional and national levels in the fight against transnational crime, especially in the ASEAN region.

Beside that, the purpose of the meeting is to increase cooperation and explore new opportunities for the implementation of projects under SOMTC with other consulting countries such as Japan, China, South Korea, the United States, New Zealand, Canada, Australia and India.

Malaysia was represented by the Chairman of the 43rd ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Drug Matters (43rd ASOD) who is the Director General of NADA, Sutekno Ahmad Belon and was present together with senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) namely the Deputy Secretary General (Policy and Control) of MOHA , Dr. Abdul Gapar Abu Bakar and Secretary of the International Division, Mohd Azlan Razali.

Furthermore, as the chairman of ASOD, Sutekno has made a presentation on the current trend of the drug problem in ASEAN countries and regional cooperation in combating the distribution of illicit substances.

Finally, different topic similar with the agenda at hand was discussed during the 23rd SOMTC meeting on cross-border crime issues such as arms smuggling, terrorism, money laundering, piracy, smuggling and human trafficking, international economic crime, cybercrime, drug trafficking, illegal wildlife trafficking and illegal logging (wood products).