Honolulu will host an international drug trafficking enforcement summit later this month that is expected to draw top prosecutors from across the Asia-Pacific region, Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro announced Wednesday.
The focus of the conference will be on the trafficking of crystal methamphetamine and its main ingredient, ephedrine.
Kaneshiro said methamphetamine is now the major illegal drug export in much of the world, replacing cocaine and heroin.
"The purpose of this drug trafficking summit is (to recognize) trafficking of illegal drugs, especially methamphetamines, as a global problem," Kaneshiro said at a news conference. "We wanted to bring together the top drug prosecutors and law enforcement officials of different countries and cities on the mainland to discuss the economic impact of drug trafficking and the ways to increase cooperation among law enforcement and prosecutory agencies."
The conference at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa Oct. 27-28 is expected to include prosecutors from Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Mexico, Thailand, the Philippines, South Korea and Taiwan. Among them will be South Korea’s top drug enforcement prosecutor and Thailand’s attorney general, Kaneshiro said.
U.S. participants will include federal, state and county agencies from Hawaii and at least eight other states.
Most drug enforcement conferences center on investigative agencies, but this one is tailored primarily for prosecutors, Kaneshiro said.
"We need to bring the prosecutors together because the prosecutors can make an impact on drug policies," he said.
Kaneshiro said that, collectively, prosecutors can lobby for anti-drug legislation as well as work to develop cases together.
Many international economies now revolve around the meth trade, he said. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation’s annual summit is taking place in Honolulu next month. Kaneshiro said that while it’s too late to put the issue of metamphetamine and the drug economy on this year’s APEC agenda, he and other prosecutors hope it can be incorporated into next year’s conference.
