Expanding Container Control Programme to new priority dry ports in Tajikistan

The UNODC-World Customs Organization (WCO) Global Container Control Programme (CCP) is uniquely placed to assist Governments to create sustainable enforcement structures in selected sea and dry ports in order to minimize the risk of shipping containers being exploited for illicit drug trafficking, transnational organized crime, whilst facilitating legal trade.  

The programme continues to expand its operations in Tajikistan and train the officers who are going to be a part of new Port Control Units in Khujand and Khorog.

From 14-23 August 2018, UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia conducted a two-week practical training for 16 officers from the Customs Service under the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Drug Control Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan within the programme in Khujand, Tajikistan. The training is a follow up to theoretical training held in Tajikistan in March 2018.

During the first training phase - basic theoretical training (2 weeks), trainees were introduced to a wide range of international legal instruments pertaining to drugs and crime and the principals concerning information sources, risk analysis and other profiling techniques, cargo inspection, information exchange mechanisms, post seizure investigations and trade facilitation. The training also included the use of internet as an important information source.

The practical training followed the classroom training, where trainees learned to apply the profiling and searching techniques in practice. Experienced trainers from UNODC and WCO undertook practical exercises to identify and inspect a high-risk container. Trainees became skilled at selection of containers in the pre-arrival (imports) and/or pre-departure (exports) phase and undertake physical examinations.

The training provided a unique opportunity to conduct practical expertise at Customs "Khujand" (railway) and Terminal in Khujand (automobile). The Customs Service provided full support to the CCP efforts and granted trainees access to national database and live shipping documents for profiling work, as well as containers/trucks/wagon for search and inspection.

The CCP Regional Segment for Central Asia and Azerbaijan is funded by the Government of Japan, as well as by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and the Export Control and Related Boarder Security (EXBS) Program, the U.S. Department of State.