Hennie Kusters, Head of the Unit for Southern Netherlands, National Crime Squad

I am looking forward to Syndec II especially as a forum in which to discuss practical solutions for international cooperation in the area of combating synthetic drugs. Our prime task is to seek ways to facilitate collaboration; in this, we must dare to name the things which have not gone well, and be prepared to learn the necessary lessons.

I hope that the conference will be an added stimulus for international cooperation, particularly within Europe. The guiding principle must be everyday practice as we, in the judicial and investigative services, encounter it. It seems to me that the workshops offer an excellent opportunity for exploring this field.

Happily, there are also a great many success-stories in the fight against synthetic drugs. The participants will be encouraged to share experiences and exchange ‘best practices’. This means that SYNDEC II forms a logical follow-up to SYNDEC I, which was held in October 2003. At that conference, the transmission of knowledge and the production of synthetic drugs were central; the two days of SYNDEC II are intended to prepare the way for (even) better international cooperation.

Hennie Kusters