UNODC Builds Capacity of Central Asian Law-enforcement Agencies in Disrupting Drug Trafficking Networks

A three-day training course aimed at strengthening the capacity of Central Asian countries to identify and disrupt drug trafficking networks concluded in Almaty on 9 December 2021.

The training seminar was delivered to the representatives of thirteen government agencies of Central Asian countries, including nineteen managers and practitioners from the Financial Intelligence Units, Ministry of Interior, General Prosecutor’s Office and Law Enforcement training academies from the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The course was organized by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Regional Office for Central Asia in co-operation with the Afghan Opiate Trade Project, Research and Trend Analysis Branch and Global Programme against Money Laundering, Proceeds of Crime and the financing of Terrorism (GPML). The course was organized with the financial support of INL of the US Embassy in Nur-Sultan. 

The aim of the training course was to assist Central Asian countries in successfully identifying, investigating and disrupting drug trafficking networks. The concepts which were taught on the course have been collected from academia, industry, military planning and other disciplines but have been tailored to be accessible and easily applied to the context of investigations of drug trafficking networks.

“Strengthening of legal frameworks, policies and national strategies on countering illicit financial flows stemming from drug trade is one of the priority areas for technical assistance provided by the UNODC,” emphasized Aliaksandr Vadziany, AML/CFT and Counter-narcotics Advisor at the UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia.  “This practical workshop, during which we will look at new innovative methodologies to counter drug trafficking networks, builds on the stock of UNODC’s efforts in Central Asian region.”

“This training course is a good opportunity to apply research and analysis on opiate trafficking to support interventions against real world problems.” added Michael Osman, Head of Afghan Opiate Trade Project at the UNODC Research and Trend Analysis Branch.

The participants were trained to apply various analytical techniques to traditional and specialist investigation methods and identify current gaps in policy and capabilities as well as potential solutions for subsequent briefing to their senior managers.

Based on country- and region-specific scenarios, the training course included sessions on systems analysis, criminal business modelling, social network analysis, financial flows analysis, financial investigation planning and criminal networks disruption planning. More than half of the course was devoted to practical exercises highlighting specific instruments and techniques that play an important role in law enforcement operations and complex criminal investigations.  The course emphasized the key role of inter-agency co-operation in countering drug trafficking networks. 

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