United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)

What is UNODC?

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is a global leader in the struggle against illicit drugs and international crime, and the lead United Nations entity for delivering legal and technical assistance to prevent terrorism.  UNODC mobilizes and promotes regional and transnational cooperation to confront the growing threat to security posed by the convergence of organized crime, drug trafficking, corruption and terrorism. UNODC strengthens the rule of law and institutions of justice in order to improve crime prevention and build safer, more secure societies in which people can live without fear and work towards a more prosperous future for themselves and their families. UNODC also works to educate the world about the dangers of drug abuse and to strengthen international action against drug production, trafficking and drug-related crime. In order to achieve this, UNODC carries out a broad range of initiatives, including alternative development projects, illicit crop monitoring and anti-money laundering programmes.

Established in 1997 through a merger of the United Nations Drug Control Programme and the Centre for International Crime Prevention, UNODC has approximately 500 staff members worldwide. Headquartered in Vienna, UNODC operates 52 field offices covering more than 150 countries, as well as liaison offices in New York and Brussels.