Online
from September, 23rd 2024 to April, 11th 2025

Higher Specialization Course in the Control and Investigation of Drug Precursors

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The lack of efficient training of those officials dedicated to the repression of illegal drug trafficking inevitably results in favoring this illicit activity. Adequate control of drug precursors has become one of the main investigative tools in the dismantling of clandestine laboratories and the dismantling of criminal organizations.

Dates and places
From September, 23rd 2024 to April, 11th 2025


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Hours
Hours: 500
Program
1. Situation analysis (50 hrs.)
- General information on drug trafficking in the region.
- Types of drugs.
- Evolution, situation and trends in drug trafficking.
- Evolution, situation and trends in precursor trafficking.
2. Regulations and action plans (85 h.)
- Regulatory framework for the control and monitoring of chemical substances. Implementation of article 12, paragraph 8, of the 1988 Convention.
- Model Regulations for the Control of Chemicals Used in the Illicit Manufacture of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (OAS).
- Regulation (EU) No. 273/2004 on drug precursors.
- Plans in the fight against drug trafficking in the region.
- Plans in the fight against the illicit diversion of precursors in the region.
- Customs control of precursors.
- International tools to identify transactions or incidents involving precursors.
3. Drug precursors. Types and uses (75 h.)
- Chemical precursors. Types of precursors.
- Licit use of controlled precursors.
- Illicit use of controlled precursors.
- Control procedures of chemical substances for the manufacture of drugs of natural origin.
- Control procedures of chemical substances for the production of drugs of synthetic origin.
- Non-controlled substances.
4. Administrative control of precursors (50 h.)
- Control of operators or distributors of precursor chemicals.
- Identification and study of the operators (distributors) of precursor substances.
- Preceptive reports prior to their administrative authorization.
- National administrative records.
5. Inspection of operators (105 h.)
- Inspection plans.
- Methodology in the inspection action.
- Identification, such as commercial and administrative documentation.
- Preparation of an inspection report.
- Practical case: Performance of a mock inspection of an operator (marketing of precursors).
- Practical case: Development of a mock inspection of an operator (precursor processing).
- The chemical industry. Collaboration in the diversion of precursors.
6. The Judicial Authority and the Public Prosecutor’s Office (30 h.)
- Judicial investigation.
- Support in the investigations of the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
7. Management and disposal of precursors (50 h.)
- Safe handling of seized precursors.
- Final disposal of seized precursor chemicals:
  • -Open burning.
  • -Evaporation.
  • -Composting.
  • -Burial.
  • -Infiltration of innocuous or biodegradable liquids.
  • -Encapsulation.
  • -Inerting.
  • -Neutralization.
8. Research (55 h.)
- Money laundering.
- Means of concealment.
- Entry routes.
Attendance
This activity is carried out exclusively online.
Enrollment

Mandatory documentation to be provided

Ordinary enrollment: Civil servants who wish to enroll as individuals and who can prove their professional activity, for which they must provide documentation proving their status.

Students who receive a scholarship only have to register for the course. The UNED Foundation will carry out the necessary verification of the scholarship. Enrollments that do not have a previously granted scholarship will be cancelled.

To enroll in the course, click on the “Online Enrollment” button located below the price table

  COPOLAD scholarship Ordinary enrollment
FeeFree1000 €
Enrollment now
Directed by
Francisco Perosanz Martín
  • - Coordinator of security courses at UNED.
  • - Lawyer.
  • - Director of Corporate Security.
  • - Master in Law.
  • - Master’s Degree in Security.
  • - TSPRL Corporate Security Consultant
Teachers
Raimundo Alvarino
  • - Lieutenant of the Civil Guard and Chief of Group of the Intelligence Center Against Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO) of the Spanish Ministry of the Interior.
  • - Master’s Degree in Analysis of digital forensic evidence and fight against cybercrime, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.
  • - Director and Head of Private Security, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos.
  • - Senior Information Specialist of the Civil Guard.
  • - Level 3 specialist in Nuclear, Radiological, Biological and Chemical matters. 5 years of experience as part of the National Authority for the control of drug precursors. Inspector agent.
  • - 5 years of experience as National Contact Point for Explosives Precursors.
Sergio Moreta Bermejo
  • - Inspector of the National Police Corps and Chief of Group of the Intelligence Center Against Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO) of the Spanish Ministry of the Interior.
  • - Graduated in Civil Engineering from the University of Salamanca (Spain).
  • - Diploma in Police Sciences.
  • - Title of Director and Chief of Private Security.
  • - Specialization Course in Explosives Precursors and Inspection Activity.
  • - 1 year of experience as part of the National Authority for the control of drug precursors. Inspection Agent.
  • - 1 year of experience as National Contact Point in control, inspection and investigation functions in the field of explosives precursors.
  • - 3 years of experience as Contact Point of the National Police Corps (Spain) in the control, inspection and investigation of explosives precursors
Gustavo Adolfo Castro Valverde
  • - Lieutenant of the Civil Guard and Section Chief of the Intelligence Center Against Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO) of the Spanish Ministry of the Interior.
  • - Studying a Master’s Degree in Terrorism, Security and Defense at the European University of Madrid.
  • - Director and head of Private Security.
  • - 17 years of experience in investigation and intelligence units in crimes against drug trafficking.
  • - 8 years of experience as part of the National Authority for the control of drug precursors.
José Luis Martín Baltanás
  • - Captain of the Civil Guard and Head of Service of the Intelligence Center Against Terrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO) of the Spanish Ministry of the Interior.
  • - Master’s Degree in Advanced Studies in Terrorism from the International University of La Rioja.
  • - Director and Head of Private Security, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos.
  • - Senior Information Specialist of the Civil Guard.
  • - 17 years of experience as part of the National Authority for the control of drug precursors. Inspection agent with more than 300 inspections carried out.
  • - 11 years of experience as National Contact Point for Explosives Precursors. Inspection agent.
Trotsky Gustavo Santamaría
  • - Chemical Engineer with more than 20 years of professional experience in the public and private sector.
  • - Studies in National Drug Policies, Surveillance and control for the prevention of illicit trafficking and control of chemical substances. Forensic interrogation techniques, non-verbal communication and verbal and non-verbal strategies and tactics for effective communication.
  • - Training of trainers, speaker at international seminars on anti-drug security at ports and airports and prevention of chemical diversion.
  • - In 2021 collaborated in the publication of the Universidad Espiritu Santo de Ecuador on Drug Policy in Ecuador.
  • - In 2022 he served as Vice-Chair of the Expert Group on Chemical Substances and Pharmaceutical Products of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission of the Organization of American States CICAD-OAS.
  • - Since 2021 he is the technical focal point of Group 3.4 Control of chemical precursors for the manufacture of illegal drugs of the COPOLAD III program.
  • - He is currently Chief Specialist of the Directorate for the Control of Scheduled Substances of the Ministry of the Interior of Ecuador.
Patricio Osvaldo Navarro Poblete
  • - Commissioner of the PDI. Chief of the Brigade of Investigation of Controlled Chemical Substances.
  • - University Degree in Chemical Engineering.
  • - Diploma in Neurobiology, Pharmacology and Drug Chemistry.
  • - Diploma in Intelligence and Drug Trafficking from the National Academy of Political and Strategic Studies.
  • - DEA Synthesis Drugs Courses.
  • - Courses on operations with hazardous materials.
  • - Multiple courses and seminars on the diversion of precursors for drug processing.
  • - Professor of the Chair on New Synthesis Drugs and Emerging Threats.
  • - Professor of the Chair of Investigation Methodology.
  • - 20 years in the police force and 16 years of experience in control and criminal investigation of chemical precursors and drug trafficking, materials and equipment and operations in clandestine drug laboratories
Ernesto Rufo Cabezas Fiallo
  • - Scheduled Controlled Substances Management Specialist of the Ministry of the Interior of Ecuador.
  • - 19 years of experience in control, inspection, dismantling of natural drug laboratories, final disposal of scheduled controlled substances.
  • - Focal Point Ecuador Regional STAND Project: Secure Management and Disposal of Seized Drugs and Precursors (GLOU54), of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). 2021-2024.
  • - Director of Scheduled Controlled Substances Management (in charge). 2021-2022.
  • - Specialist Director of CONSEP’s Scientific Laboratory for Scheduled Controlled Substances. 2013-2015.
  • - Scheduled Controlled Substances Deposit and Destruction Coordinator. 2011-2012.
  • - 1 year of experience as a research and development analyst in the pharmaceutical industry.
  • - 2 years of experience as head of rol and production in the pharmaceutical industry.
  • - Degree in Chemistry, issued by Universidad Central del Ecuador.
  • - Graduated from the Master’s Degree in Occupational Health and Safety, Universidad Internacional SEK.
  • - Diploma in Control of Chemical Substances, Dirección de Educación Policial.
  • - University Institution, through the Anti-Drug School “Mayor Wilson Quintero Martínez”.
Milagros Diego Risco
  • - Graduate with a degree in CC. Chemistry, specializing in Organic Chemistry, from the Complutense University of Madrid.
  • - 25 years of experience in chemical assessment of drug precursors, preparing technical reports and support manuals.
  • - 25 years of experience in the administrative control of drug precursors.
  • - 11 years of experience in chemical assessment of explosives precursors, preparing technical reports and support manuals.
  • - Member of the EMCDDA Scientific Committee until 2004.
  • - Technical support to the Central Operator Inspection Unit (UCIO) in inspections of operators carrying out activities with scheduled chemicals until 2003.
  • - Participation as an expert in the PRECAN project developed by the United Nations Development Plan (UNDP) for the elaboration of a Control Procedures Guide for Controlled Chemical Inputs in the Andean Community.
  • - Participates in national and international meetings related to drugs and chemical precursors.
  • - Participates as a speaker in various training courses for law enforcement and judicial authorities in relation to drug precursors and explosives.
Gloria Patricia Crispín Amorocho
  • - Advisor at the Directorate of Drug Policy and Related Activities of the Ministry of Justice and Law of Colombia.
  • - Master in Business Law (Universitat Ramon Llull, Universidad de Deusto and Universidad Pontificia de Comillas, Spain).
  • - Specialist in Economic and Market Law (Universidad del Rosario, Colombia).
  • - Lawyer (Universidad del Rosario, Colombia).
  • - 12 years of experience in the Colombian public sector and in international cooperation, participating in the formulation and implementation of public policies, regulation, strategies and projects on the world drug problem.
  • - 6 years of experience in the control and monitoring of precursors and drugs.
Nicolás Vela García
  • - Commander of the Civil Guard, in active reserve, with 42 years of professional experience.
  • - 19 years in units investigating crimes related to drug trafficking, money laundering and corruption and the last 12 years Head of department and professor in Civil Guard Academies for the training of Officers and Civil Guards.
  • - Judicial expert in Prevention of Money Laundering, Tax Havens, Illegal Financing of Terrorism and Commercial Fraud. UNED.
  • - Advanced Course in Integral Security Management. UNED.
  • - Monographic Course on Financial Statements Analysis.
  • - CIA Course on “Financial Intelligence Analysis”.
  • - Course for Military Education Evaluators.
  • - Basic Course on Pedagogical Aptitude.
  • - Superior Course for Judicial Police Specialists.
  • - Course on Financial Investigation and Money Laundering.
  • - XV Advanced Course for Information Specialists.
  • - I Course for Commanders of Prosecutorial Investigation Specialists.
  • - CIA Course on Counter-Narcotics Intelligence and Financial Intelligence Analysis.
Liz Wendy Cuadros Veloza
  • - Lieutenant Colonel of the National Police of Colombia, Police Administrator. Specialist in Integral Security. Master in Public Security and Master in Management and Development Studies, with knowledge in the design and execution of public policy strategies, Colombian internal conflict and strategic intelligence, as well as in criminal investigation, human rights and anti-drug information analysis. With more than 27 years of experience in the National Police leading in the Anti-Narcotics Directorate, Social Welfare Directorate and Citizen Security Directorate.
  • - Expert in new psychoactive substances, intelligence and drug trafficking investigations; additionally, advisor on anti-drug policy and strategy.
  • - International lecturer on drugs in Colombia, Honduras, Ecuador, Mexico, Argentina, among others.
  • - Knowledgeable in citizen security projects, territorial management and drug prevention projects.
  • - Operational Commander of Citizen Security. Police Department Cundinamarca Colombia.
  • - Head of the International Center for Strategic Studies against Drug Trafficking CIENA Anti-Narcotics Directorate of the Colombian National Police.
  • - Head of the Special Intelligence Central Level Group, Anti-Narcotics Directorate, National Police of Colombia.
  • - Coordinator of the Intelligence Group (Special Intelligence Commission) Atlantic Coast, Pacific Region Directorate of Anti-Narcotics, National Police of Colombia.
  • - Candidate for a Master’s Degree in Management and Development Studies (Universidad de la Salle).
  • - Master in Public Security (Postgraduate School of the Police Miguel Antonio Lleras Camargo).
  • - Specialist in Integral Security (Miguel Antonio Lleras Camargo Police Graduate School).
  • - Police Administrator (General Santander Police Cadet School).
Deborah Maestre
  • - Project Officer in the Supply Reduction Unit (SRU) of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) of the Organization of American States (OAS).
  • - She is responsible for the execution of the Program for the Effective Control of Synthetic Drugs and their Chemical Precursors in the Western Hemisphere.
  • - She has an academic background in biochemistry with a specialization in toxicology and has 10 years of experience in the control of chemical precursors and drugs, with an emphasis on synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substances.
  • - In her professional career, she has worked in the Ministry of Security of Argentina as coordinator of the National Registry of Chemical Precursors (RENPRE) and previously as a technical advisor in the Undersecretariat for the Fight against Drug Trafficking.
  • - She has worked as a teacher and researcher at the Chair of Toxicology and Legal Chemistry at the University of Buenos Aires.  
Yazmín Constanza Llanos Salguero
  • - Delegated Prosecutor before the Specialized Circuit Criminal Judges of the National Directorate against Drug Trafficking, Transnational Investigations Group since 2010. Colombia.
  • - Participant in the publication of the Manual of Good Investigative Practices for Prosecutors in complex cases - OPDAT Agency and Embassy of the United States. December 2023.
  • - Specialist in special criminal investigation techniques: undercover operations, controlled deliveries, training model to dismantle transnational criminal organizations.
  • - Professional in Law and Political Sciences from the Universidad Libre de Colombia.
  • - Specialization in Administrative Law from Universidad del Rosario.
  • - Currently a candidate for a Master’s Degree in Criminal Law, Universidad del Rosario.
  • - Training from the OPDAT Agency in the accusatory criminal system and from the ILEA SAN SALVADOR agency: Criminal investigations of chemical precursors
Miguel Cristóbal García
  • - Inspector of the National Police, Group Leader, Technical Director and Quality Manager of the Chemical Laboratory of the General Commissariat of Scientific Police. Spain
  • - Degree in Pharmacy.
  • - 17 years of experience in drug analysis in the Chemical Laboratory of the National Police.
  • - 14 years of experience as Quality Manager implementing the 17025 accreditation in the Drugs area.
  • - 5 years of experience as Technical Director of the CGPC Laboratory
Jonathan Jiménez Padilla
  • - Degree in Environmental Management, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica (UNA).
  • - Agroindustrial Engineering. Universidad Estatal a Distancia (UNED). Costa Rica.
  • - Certificate of participation in the course “Quality and Biosafety in Radiological Protection”, conducted by the Center for Nuclear and Molecular Atomic Research (CICANUM), University of Costa Rica (UCR).
  • - Certificate -Targeting and Risk Management-SEA, BY U.S. Customs and Border Protection (2011).
  • - DEA-Chemical Diversion (Precursors) Training Certificate, issued by the International Law Enforcement Academy. San Salvador. 2011.
  • - Certificate of the Workshop on Homologated Preliminary Identification Tests -PIPH- and instructor for other police forces in the use of these tests (2013).
  • - Participation in the seminar “Container Risk Analysis”, conducted by UNODC ROPAN (2010).
  • - Participation in the “Tri-national Seminar on Prevention of Diversion of Precursors” (2012).
  • - Project “Prevention of the diversion of drugs precursors in the Latin American and Caribbean region (PRELAC).
  • - Participation in the “Workshop on proper handling and final disposal of seized chemical substances”, held in Guatemala, Guatemala City (2014).
  • - Member of the Inter-Institutional Technical Committee “Integrated Information System for the Management of Chemical Substances (SISSAICM) - Directorate of Environmental Quality Management (DIGECA), Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE). 2014.
  • - 6 years of experience as coordinator of the Inter-Institutional Commission of Gunpowder Control.
  • - 10 years of experience as inspector and evaluator of Chemical Industries, Pharmaceutical Laboratories. Ministry of Health.
  • - 1 year of experience as environmental regent in the industry.
  • - 16 years of experience in control and inspection of chemical precursors and essential chemicals.
  • - Participation as a speaker at the “Workshop for the exchange of information and intelligence and improvement of systems and disposal of seized chemicals Quito (Ecuador) April 17-21, 2023.
  • - Contact point  by the Unit of Precursors Control for the Early Warning System (SATs).
Francisco R. Andrés Suárez
  • - Head of Investigation. Head of the Area of Drugs control and other substances, in the General Operations Subdirectorate of the Customs and Special Taxes Department of the AEAT.
  • - Degree in CC. Economics at the University of Alcalá de Henares.
  • - Master’s Degree in Business Management from the Universidad Pontifica Comillas de Madrid.
  • - Trainer in programs of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, in Ghana and Colombia.
  • - Coordinator of contents in the selective courses for new officials of the Executive and Superior Customs Surveillance Corps at the Institute of Fiscal Studies.
  • - Speaker at the Arms Export Control Program, sponsored by the German Federal Office of Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA).
  • - Supervisor of radioactive facilities.
  • - Courses in Information Analysis and Open Source Information Analysis. Investigation in Social Networks, AEAT.
  • - Course on New Psychoactive Substances and Non-Categorized Substances, AEAT.
  • - 14 years of experience in prevention, investigation and repression of smuggling.
Aimed at
The course is aimed at all those professionals whose fundamental mission is the  the maintenance of public security, through the repression of illegal drug trafficking. The training is geared towards police, military or customs officials, as well as judicial authorities or members of the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
These officials must receive specific training in accordance with their duties. To this end, comprehensive training is proposed for those “first intervention” units, i.e., those assigned to police or military units that carry out drug trafficking investigations and intervene directly in the discovery of clandestine laboratories and where drug precursor investigation techniques can be fundamental to the success of their investigations.
In a more generic way, the training of customs personnel is considered very important, as they have the fundamental mission of preventing the illicit access of precursor substances, subsequently diverted for the illegal manufacture of drugs in laboratories.
The Judicial Authority and the Public Prosecutor’s Office must be sufficiently trained to understand all relevant issues that may arise in the investigations they conduct and in subsequent judicial proceedings.
 
Prerequisites

Civil servants who want to register  and can prove their professional activity.

Goals
The main objective of this course is to provide advanced training to professionals dedicated to the fight against drug trafficking, covering all facets derived from the control of drug precursors, under the maxim that “if there are no precursors, there are no drugs”.
Methodology
The course will be developed entirely ON LINE, in such a way as to allow the officer to combine his/her daily work with the training. The course will be monitored through virtual classes, by means of recordings made by the teaching staff, which can be accessed at any time. In the same way, students will be evaluated to determine their degree of progress in the subject, having at their disposal the necessary tutorials to guarantee a close contact with the teachers and to solve any doubts that may arise throughout the course.

In order to pass the course, the students will have to take into consideration the following:
The completion of the required individual work.
Participation in the classes.
Passing the exams prepared by each teacher.
After passing the course, the corresponding certificate will be issued.
Grading system
An exercise after the completion of each module, graded from 0 to 10. The student will have two attempts, and the final grade for each module will be the highest grade obtained from both attempts.
The final grade of the course will be the result of adding the grades of each module, divided by 8. The grade required to pass the course will be 6 points.
To pass the course it is necessary to complete all the evaluations corresponding to each module.
Collaborates

Organizers

FUNDACIÓN UNED
COPOLAD
FIIAPP

Financed

Unión Europea - Fondo Social Europeo

Collaborates

CITCO
More
Fundación UNED
Guzmán el Bueno, 133 - Edificio Germania, 1ª planta - 28003 Madrid
91 386 72 76 erodriguez@fundacion.uned.es

 Certificate Information
For Certificate inquiries or requests, please send an e-mail to the address: gestion.certificados@fundacion.uned.es

Academic Information
Francisco Perosanz Martín
fperosanz@invi.uned.es 609012350
Monday to Friday, from:  10:00 to 14:00
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  Télefono: 91 386 72 75
  secretaria@fundacion.uned.es

  • Fundación UNED es miembro de la Asociación Española de Fundaciones