On 2 and 5 December 2018, UNODC's Global Firearms Programme (GFP) organized in Vienna a pilot training on identification and tracing of firearms, their parts and components, and ammunition for prosecutors from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Montenegro, Serbia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Ukraine in cooperation with the Forensic Science Service (FSS) of the Criminal Intelligence Service of the Republic of Austria and EUROPOL.
The funding for the event was provided through generous contribution by Germany and in-kind support by Austria.
The specific objectives of the vent were to enhance knowledge on conducting investigation and prosecution of firearms trafficking cases through gaining understanding how firearms identification and tracing can contribute towards solving cases with transnational nature; to share good practices and lessons learned on using special investigate techniques, joint investigation teams and to identify challenges in the existing criminal procedure law in securing admissible evidence for prosecuting firearms trafficking cases.
15 prosecutors with experience in investigating organized crime cases took part in capacity building event and provided feedback for rolling-out the training at national level within the framework of supporting the implementation of the Roadmap for a sustainable solution to misuse and trafficking of firearms in the Western Balkans.
The training was delivered by experts from UNODC, the Forensic Science Service of the Criminal Intelligence Service of the Republic of Austria and EUROPOL.
The event contributes towards more effective criminal justice response against firearms trafficking and organized crime in the Western Balkans and Ukraine and facilitates the implementation of the United Nations Organized Crime Convention and UN Firearms Protocol.