The Technical Working Group meeting on financial flows linked to the illicit production and trafficking of Afghan opiates was held on 2-3 November 2009 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The meeting was a first attempt to gather concerned countries and relevant international organizations to discuss how to concretely implement the recommendations contained in the Paris Pact Orange paper, which have been endorsed by Paris Pact policy makers in December 2008.The working group included experts from and gathered experts from 8 countries (namely Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, United Kingdom, the United States and Uzbekistan) as well as 4 international organizations (EurAsian Group on money-laundering, Interpol, UNODC and World Customs Organization).
The technical Working Group discussed, in particular, the implementation of recommendations I [Increase the knowledge] and III [Increase national and international cooperation] of the Paris Pact Orange Paper action plan. Regarding the implementation of Recommendation I, a draft questionnaire was developed with the purpose to assess lessons learned, methods used and possible challenges faced by Paris Pact partners and affected countries in dealing with financial flows linked to the illicit production and trafficking of Afghan opiates. The draft questionnaire will be circulated to all Paris Pact partners and concerned countries and organizations for comments prior to submission to relevant partners in January 2010.
Regarding the implementation of Recommendation III, the participants suggested that the relevant Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) from the jurisdictions affected by the illicit Afghan opiate financial flows should meet on a regular basis to exchange knowledge and share experience regarding the financial flows to/from Afghanistan derived from Afghan drug trade. More precisely, the concerned FIUs will be expected to present/share information on individuals, entities or groups linked to drug production and trafficking offences and their laundering, the sectors where drug money is being injected and reintegrated, how is the money circulated, etc. It was decided that the first FIUs meeting should take place around mid-May 2010.