On 23-24 November 2009, the RCC Secretariat hosted in Sarajevo a regional workshop on enhancing comprehensive cooperation in combating illicit drugs trafficking in South East Europe (SEE). The event was organized together with the Strategic Police Matters Unit of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

The meeting was opened by Deputy Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mijo Krešić, and the participants included law enforcement officers from OSCE and RCC member states from SEE region, the Russian Federation, The Netherlands, Italy, as well as representatives of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, Interpol, Europol and the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI) Regional Center for Combating Trans-Border Crime.

Based on the current situation in their respective countries, the drug-fighting experts discussed experiences in identifying the most efficient methods in the law enforcement field to counter illicit drugs trafficking originating from Asia, and transiting through the Balkan route to European markets.

The participants concluded that, since international drugs trafficking criminal groups are constantly seeking the easiest and the most profitable new smuggling routes to consumer countries, the OSCE and other international organizations should strengthen their assistance to the law enforcement agencies in SEE to reduce drugs supply. This should be done both in terms of drug-fighting technology and by increasing global surveillance techniques.