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ndonesia and China agreed in a meeting on Wednesday to intensify intelligence sharing in their quest to eradicate drug trafficking.

The National Narcotics Board (BNN) and the National Narcotics Control Commission of China (NNCC) exchanged information on drug issues in each country, and committed to boosting cooperation in law enforcement and cracking down on drug trafficking.

The cooperation is a follow-up on a 2012 bilateral agreement.

BNN deputy chief on legal affairs and cooperation Arief Wicaksono Sudiutomo said both agencies also agreed on mechanisms of communication, information sharing and the monitoring of precursors.

The NNCC also offered assistance in information technology to track drug syndicates in China on cases related to Indonesia.

“We have also agreed to conduct capacity building and, most importantly, to intensify exchange of intelligence that would benefit both parties,” Arief told a press briefing.

He said China had expressed interest in boosting efforts to curb illicit drug trafficking stemming from precursors trade. Prenotifications from China reported that some 1,097 tons of precursors have arrived in Indonesia from the Asian giant since 2014.

A prenotification is given prior to precursors arriving at sea ports, Arief said, as the chemicals are commonly traded as ingredients for medicine, but risk falling into the hands of illegal traffickers to make illicit drugs, such as shabu (crystal methamphetamine).

He stressed the importance of international cooperation, noting that recent government data shows 80 percent of drug smuggling pass through sea routes.

The BNN recorded as many as 11 origin countries involved in drug smuggling into Indonesia. Other than China, these include Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq, as well as several nations in Africa, South America and East Asia.

NCCC deputy secretary-general Lan Weihong called for strengthened measures on the control and trade of precursors to prevent illicit drug trafficking.

He said heroin was the main drug arriving in China from Indonesia, while shabu was the top drug to arrive in Indonesia.

“This is why cooperation between the two countries is beneficial for both parties in order to prevent drugs from entering either country,” Lan said.

Highlighting the commitment to curb illegal drug circulation in China, Lan said the government heavily targeted drug manufacturers for a six-month period.

NNCC crackdown in 2016 unraveled a total of 145,000 cases and confiscated 82 tons of drugs.

Both parties at the meeting also exchanged information on citizens involved in drug cases in each country. As many as 53 Indonesians since 2003 are involved in ongoing drug cases in China and a total 150 Chinese citizens in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, a 2016 UN Office on Drugs and Crime’s (UNODC) world drug report revealed East and Southeast Asian among the world’s largest meth markets, where seizures almost quadrupled between 2009 and 2014.