Joint Statement on Securing Maritime Ports Against Drug and Precursor Chemical Trafficking

Introduction

We, the G7 Interior Ministers, reaffirm our shared commitment to strengthening partnerships and cooperation in securing maritime and river ports against the trafficking of illicit drugs, including synthetics, and precursor chemicals.

Organized crime groups are well-established in maritime and river port environments and exploit these critical nodes of global commerce to traffic illicit drugs and precursor chemicals. Their criminal activities undermine the integrity of the commercial supply chain, threaten public security, and contribute to the proliferation of dangerous, often lethal substances within our countries and beyond.

Building on the commitments made in the 2024 Leaders’ Statement on Synthetic Drug Threats,i we remain united in our efforts to combat the production, distribution, and sale of illicit drugs. In particular, our countries are committed to disrupting the global illicit supply chains of synthetic drugs and their precursor chemicals as well as other illicit cultivated drugs, such as cocaine, while working together to counter the organized crime groups that exploit them and hold them accountable for these serious criminal activities. 

At the 2025 Leaders’ Summit, G7 Leaders emphasized the importance of continued collaboration to promote border security and counter illicit synthetic drug trafficking, and stressed the need to work with countries of origin and transit to address this global challenge.

Today, Interior Ministers were briefed by experts from Canada, the European Union and the Netherlands. Canada provided an overview of its threat environment. The EU shared best practices in regional coordination through the European Ports Alliance. The Netherlands shared its experience collaborating with private sector actors to enhance port security and disrupt drug trafficking operations. We thank them for their valuable contributions and look forward to building on the constructive discussions held during the G7 Interior Ministers’ Meeting. 

To advance this important issue, we commit to continue collaboration in strengthening G7 efforts on maritime port security through appropriate channels and among operational agencies, where needed to achieve our objectives. This includes recognizing the essential role of shipping lines, terminal operators and other stakeholders of the maritime logistics chain, in supporting broader maritime and port security through coordinated, interdependent efforts. We will explore how to deepen our engagement with private sector actors to improve maritime port security. We will promote interagency cooperation (including border and law enforcement agencies, as well as Customs) and continue to share best practices to disrupt, dismantle and hold accountable the criminal networks that exploit port vulnerabilities. We will seek opportunities to enhance information and intelligence sharing to improve the targeting and interception of illicit drugs and precursor chemicals in the marine commercial mode. 

As an initial and immediate next step, Ministers welcomed the proposal by Canada to lead the development of an Inventory of G7 Port Security Initiatives and Best Practices. This initiative aims to identify current efforts to counter drug-related threats at maritime ports, facilitate the sharing of best practices and lessons learned, and support collaborative actions and future steps. 

Through prevention, deterrence and disruption, we will make it more costly for criminals to exploit our supply chains and erode their profit margins. Together, we signal our unified intent to counter the exploitation of maritime infrastructure by organized criminal networks and recognize this issue as a growing public security priority. We are committed to taking concrete action to protect maritime ports from exploitation by organized drug crime. We remain vigilant in our efforts and will continue to work together to address the illicit drug problem.