Over 100 countries meet in Buenos Aires to tackle drug-trafficking
Delegates are gathering behind closed doors in Buenos Aires this week for the 40th International Drug Enforcement Conference (IDEC), co-organised by President Javier Milei's government and the US Drug Enforcement Administration for the first time. Leer más
More than 100 nations are convening in Buenos Aires this week to discuss anti-narcotics policies at the 40th International Drug Enforcement Conference (IDEC). The conference, from August 18 to 20, is being jointly organized by President Javier Milei's administration and the DEA under the coordination of Argentina's National Security Ministry. The event aims to enhance information-sharing, criminal intelligence, and coordination against transnational organized crime, according to officials.
National Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva emphasized the immense scale of the challenge, stating that organized crime has weakened governments and institutions, destroyed human capital, and deepened inequality. She asserted that without security, there is no growth or development. DEA Administrator Terrance Cole and US Ambassador to Argentina Peter Lamelas are leading the conference alongside Monteoliva.
US officials attending include members from President Donald Trump's administration. The conference, themed "Justice through strength and unity," is being held at a Buenos Aires hotel with around 700 participants from more than 100 countries. Senior officials from the US administration are also present. The joint hosting of the conference dates back to November 2025 when Argentina's then-security minister Patricia Bullrich met a DEA delegation to seal the agreement.
IDEC, initiated by the DEA in 1983, serves as a platform for international police and judicial cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking.
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