Interagency Mobile Teams of Uzbekistan: Establishing Information Exchange Network

Tashkent, 11-12 June 2018 - A group of 43 officers from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, State Security Service and State Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan representing six Interagency Mobile Teams (IMTs) attended the training on establishing information exchange networks between IMTs and Operations Coordination Team (OCT). The training aimed at emphasizing the role of strong interagency cooperation and networking between law enforcement agencies of Uzbekistan in combatting transnational organized crime and drug trafficking.

"It is obvious that Afghan drugs are one of the key factors of destabilization in the region, the scale of which goes far beyond the limits of Central Asia. Combatting cultivation and production of drugs remains one of the most acute problems of our time. In recent years, law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Uzbekistan, with the support of the international community, have done considerable work to block the channels of drug trafficking from the domestic traffic and transit through its territory. Today's training is an evidence of the continuity of efforts in the fight against drug trafficking." - highlighted in his opening speech, Mr. Azizbek Erkabaev, the Head of the International Department of the National Information-Analytical Center on Drug Control under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The Interagency Mobile Teams are the result of the joint efforts of the Government of Uzbekistan and UNODC Regional Office in Central Asia in addressing the threats caused by trafficking of Afghan narcotics. This initiative was supported at the highest level in the country with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On measures to ensure the effective use of equipment, technical means and vehicles, provided within the framework of the implementation of the Programme of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for Central Asia (2015-2019)". Six IMTs and a OCT are established. Their work aims to counter trafficking of narcotics into and through Uzbekistan especially along the vulnerable areas in close cooperation with the competent law enforcement agencies.

At the initial stage of implementation, the focus was on creating legislative and institutional frameworks. Progress in this direction included identification of the location and coverage areas of the IMTs representing all regions and the capital city, and finalization of the list of IMT members. Moreover, the Standard Operating Procedures have been developed for the OCT. On the other hand, IMTs are being with vehicles and specialized equipment.

The training course marks a point where the activities will shift to launch of work of the IMTs and conducting operations while parallelly IMT groups will be provided extensive training on various aspects of their work.

 "I believe that during this course the participants will gain the skills and knowledge in order to serve more efficiently in the field of combatting illicit drug trafficking," - noted Ms.Yoko Yamoto, First Secretary of the Embassy of Japan in Uzbekistan joining Mr. Erkabaev.

Mr. Davendra Dutt, the Law Enforcement Expert at the UNODC Regional Office for South Asia, and Mr. Timur Isakov, Chief Specialist of the Service on Countering Illicit Drug Trafficking of the Ministry of Interior of the Kyrgyz Republic, conducted the training. They discussed the drug situation in Central Asia, and shared best practices of establishing interagency mobile teams.

The training participants took part in the group exercises during the final session. "The participants are offered a case which they have to elaborate on. They should consider the situation and decide what actions should be done. In other words, they are given a chance to think strategically and exercise the information exchange network." - said Mr. Dutt, the training expert.

"The skills and knowledge gained at the training will allow us to ensure smooth operations of the teams", - said Major of customs services, Mr. Otabek Sharifbayev, senior detective of the division on combatting smuggled goods of the Andijan Department of the State of Customs Committee after completing the training.

"The drugs related issues are not invisible. Cooperation is one of the most effective ways to combat drugs," emphasized Ms. Ashita Mittal, Regional Representative, the UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia in her speech.

The training is the first capacity building activity that the IMT members will go through during 2018. Having gained necessary skills, the teams will boost their service equipped with off-road, patrol and investigation vehicles, as well as specialized search, identification and protective equipment. Eight training courses are planned in 2018 for the IMT and OCT staff to prepare them for the roles in new units. All the IMT activities are funded by the Government of Japan.

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For more information

Please, contact Ms. Saida Maksudova

Programme Associate, UNODC ROCA

E-mail: saida.maksudova[at]un.org

Tel.: 998 (71) 120-80-50