A New Air Cargo Control Unit (ACCU) under UNODC-WCO Global Container Control Programme was launched in Uzbekistan

Tashkent (Uzbekistan), 22 April, 2022 — The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office for Central Asia in partnership with national counterparts from the State Customs Committee of Republic of Uzbekistan (SCC) and the National Information-Analytical Center on Drug Control under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan (NCDC) opened a new Air Cargo Control Unit (ACCU) at “Aviayuklar” Customs post of the Islam Karimov Tashkent International Airport within UNODC-World Customs Organization (WCO) Global Container Control Programme (CCP). The Unit, consisting of Customs officers from the “Aviayuklar” Air Cargo Customs Post and Aviation Security representatives of the Tashkent International Airport, is tasked with the profiling, selecting and inspecting high-risk inbound and outbound air consignments. 


The inauguration of Tashkent ACCU marks the second operational Air Cargo Control Unit in Central Asia after Almaty (Kazakhstan), expanding the initiative between two major airports of the region. The CCP has already provided the full spectrum of theoretical and practical training in establishing dedicated risk profiling and control team for drug trafficking, dual use items, transnational organized criminal activities and other forms of illegal trade while facilitating legal trade and promoting aviation security at the airport.   

Mr. Nodir Musamuhamedov, Deputy Chairman of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan and Ms. Ashita Mittal, UNODC Regional Representative for Central Asia as well as national and international partners, donors and WCO and UNODC staff participated in the event. Mr. Kayrat Dzhumagulov, Deputy Chairman of the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan and ACCU members of Almaty International Airport took part at the official opening ceremony as honorary guests via videoconferencing. 

“I am confident that the opening of the ACCU will make a significant contribution to strengthening the mechanism of countering drug trafficking and transnational organized crime. Within the framework of UNODC-WCO Global Container Control Programme, there have already been established Port Control Units at large Customs posts in Uzbekistan. Active cooperation with CCP contributes to improving the technical capacity of Customs officials of Uzbekistan in controlling goods and transports crossing the border of the Republic of Uzbekistan,” - said Mr. Nodir Musamuhamedov, in his welcoming speech.

“UNODC considers the Container Control Programme as a very important segment of the work we do, and I believe that success of CCP is the success of our integrated border management strategy adopted in the new UNODC Strategy. I can see the visible impact of the CCP in this region, every month, and every week we witness the progressive results of seizures, which is a good proof of the aims of this programme”, - highlighted Ms. Ashita Mittal in her welcome remarks. 

Mr. Ketil Ottersen, UNODC Senior Programme Coordinator in his turn congratulated the Government of Uzbekistan on ACCU opening and noted that “it is an important step forward. We are happy to witness the establishment of the second ACCU in Central Asia and are proud to be a contributor to the success in Uzbekistan and ready to continue providing all the necessary trainings and meet all the required needs of the Unit.” Mr. Ottersen mentioned that currently, the Global Container Control Programme is present in 73 Member States in five continents, with 127 PCUs and ACCUs being operational. 

Mr. Batyr Geldiyev, UNODC Regional Programme Coordinator, congratulating Uzbek counterparts with the opening of dedicated ACCU in the country referred to the recent seizure of 2.5 kg of illicit drugs at ACCU at Almaty International Airport and expressed his confidence that the ACCU at Tashkent International Airport would also demonstrate the excellent results in the future.   

The inauguration was then followed by the signing of the equipment handover documents for the newly established ACCU by UNODC, SCC, and Aviation Security Service officials.

The CCP Regional Segment for Central Asia is funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), and the Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) Programme.

More about Global CCP at: https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/ccp/index.html  

For further information please contact:     

Arifa Fatikhova  

Communications and External Relations Officer

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 

Regional Office for Central Asia

Mobile: (+998 99) 825-05-43 | Email: arifa.fatikhova[at]un.org