Countering the Trafficking of Afghan Opiates

Between the 20th and 24th of February, Basic Level Computer Based Training Courses to enhance drug interception capacities of border guards serving at four selected border crossing points along the Tajik - Uzbek border were successfully conducted. These daylong trainings took place according to the framework of the project XAC/K22 on "Countering the trafficking of Afghan opiates via the northern route by enhancing the capacity of key border crossings points (BCPs) and through the establishment of Border Liaison Offices (BLOs)".

These training courses were implemented in cooperation with UNODC project TD/RER/F60 on "Computer based drug law enforcement training in the countries of Central Asia, Caucasus and Afghanistan". A total of 37 officers from customs, border guards, Tajik Drug Control Agency and the Ministries of Interior of the Republics of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan participated in training. The trainees went through interactive modules on "selection methods for land controls", "preliminary observation for land controls" and "document review for land controls".

Being conducted right at the border line, this CBT course has been the first of its sort in Central Asia. An advanced level Computer Based Training course is planned to be conducted in April 2012 involving the same two countries.