Enhancing Knowledge and Skills of Turkmen Customs Officers as a part of the UNODC-WCO Global Container Control Programme

UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia conducted a two-week refreshing theoretical training course for eighteen officers from the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan in Turkmenbashy from 11 to 20 June 2018 under UNODC-World Customs Organization (WCO) Global Container Control Programme. The training was aimed at strengthening the knowledge and skills of Customs officers working at the Port Control Units (PCU) established under CCP in International Customs Terminal in Ashgabat and International Seaport in Turkmenbashy.

The training is a part of series of capacity building measures for PCU members of Turkmenistan under CCP and a follow up to the recent opening of PCU in a new International Seaport in Turkmenbashy. An experienced WCO trainer and PCU team leader from Georgia shared their knowledge and experience on modern customs techniques to combat smuggling of illegal goods whilst facilitating legal trade. Through case studies, group discussions and interactive exercises participants learned about risk assessment and management, controlled deliveries, methods of inspection, identification and classification of drugs, recent modus operandi trends used for smuggling, use of Internet as open source, etc.

In addition, the training provided a unique platform for Turkmen PCU staff members to further strengthen working relations with other PCU teams in the region via ContainerComm - secure communication tool and promote regional practical cooperation to identify and suppress high risk consignments.

The CCP Regional Segment for Central Asia is funded by the Government of Japan and 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.