The Passenger and Cargo Border Team (PCBT) and Turkish International Academy against Drugs and Organized Crime (TADOC) strengthened expertise of Port and Air Cargo Control Units (PCUs/ACCU)) of Kazakhstan in anti-smuggling matters

On 4-8 March 2024, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Regional Office for Central Asia (UNODC ROCA) jointly with the Turkish International Academy against Drugs and Organized Crime (TADOC) conducted in Ankara, Türkiye, the anti-smuggling training for 15 members of PCUs and ACCU of Kazakhstan, representing the frontline officers of the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance of Kazakhstan and Border Service of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan. The training, aimed at enhancing theoretical knowledge and practical skills of PCU/ACXCU members in detection and inspection of high-risk commodities and learning best practices of Turkish law enforcement authorities in combatting drug trafficking and organized crime was led by TADOC trainers as a mixture of theoretical classes and practical exercises.

Mr. Fatih Ceylan, Director of TADOC, expressed his gratitude to UNODC for the constant support extended to TADOC educational activities and warmly welcomed the Kazakhstani delegation. He stressed that the exchange of experience among the law enforcement officials from Central Asia and Türkiye contributes to effective countering the smuggling activities and organized crime.  

The training was focused on a wide range of anti-smuggling matters including customs procedures, investigation techniques, controlled delivery, risk profiling, and case studies. Participants learned about the law enforcement measures taken by Türkiye in suppressing the smuggling of fuel, tobacco products, commodities, cultural and natural assets and practiced in examination of vehicles and body search techniques during practical sessions, led by Mr. Ziya Yildirim, TADOC trainer.    

The training is a part of a series of continuous capacity-building activities delivered to PCUs/ACCUs of Central Asia and has clearly demonstrated the interest of customs and border control agencies in further enhancing their national capacities in preventing illicit trade and disrupting transnational smuggling operations.     

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, as well as the Governments of France and Japan.