Top prosecutors from around the world are hoping to form alliances and exchange ideas about fighting methamphetamine manufacturing and distribution during the two-day Hawaii International Drug Trafficking Summit at the Hyatt Regency Waikiki.

Convened by Honolulu Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro, the summit is bringing together about 80 prosecutors from nine countries on both sides of the Pacific Ocean as well as from other states, nearly all of them along the border with Canada or Mexico.

"We need to address this global problem with a global response," Kaneshiro said in opening remarks Thursday. "We need to have prosecutors and law enforcement officials from other countries working closely with prosecutors and law enforcement officials at the federal, state and county levels in the United States. The borders of our countries should not be a hindrance to attacking global drug trafficking organizations."

Kim Su Wan, a prosecutor from South Korea’s Gwangju district, said meth is the drug of choice among drug abusers in his country. While South Korea is no longer a major drug manufacturer, he said, there are indications that "drug traffickers are trying to establish a stronghold in Korea as a transit location of illegal trades of drugs and their precursors."

In 2009-2010, South Korean law enforcement officials arrested Nigerians and Singaporeans tied to African and East Asian drug cartels who apparently were trying to route methamphetamine into Japan or other countries via Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore, Kim said.

In April a known smuggler was extradited to South Korea with the help of American, Mexican and Japanese law enforcement officials, he said.

"Drug distribution channels continue to vary, and trafficking volumes keep increasing," Kim said. "We are always ready to cooperate with foreign investigative agencies to combat drug crime."

Richard D. Fadullon, senior deputy state prosecutor for the Philippine Department of Justice, spoke of a recent case involving meth, known as "shabu," from Africa that was smuggled into the Philippines. From there, couriers would transport the drug to Malaysia and other Asian countries.

Hawaii County Prosecutor Charlene Iboshi said local law enforcement officials have a good idea of what they need to do to combat drug problems at the local level.

"It’s important to get together (with prosecutors from around the world) to see the international view of this," Iboshi said. "Even if you’re capturing them here, you have to cut off the head where it’s happening — the brains behind it, the sourcing, the distribution chains. And that requires international cooperation."