UNODC conducted a one-week training course on risk analysis and drug search techniques for Turkmen law enforcement officers

On 31 May – 4 June, UNODC conducted a one-week training course on risk analysis and drug search techniques for eighteen officers from the State Border Service, State Customs Service and Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkmenistan working at the Farap, Imamnazar and Serhetabad border crossing points. The training was conducted via videoconferencing.

The training aimed to enhance the knowledge and skills of the law enforcement officers in risk modeling and profiling, modern search techniques and reporting to detect and obtain evidence in counter-narcotics operations and investigations.

“The border and customs services of neighboring countries share common goals and interests in such areas as countering smuggling and promoting legal trade. Capacity-building in these areas is crucial. Turkmenistan, being at the heart of the Great Silk Road, strives to become a logistics hub, and we see an increased interest in the Lapis Lazuli transport corridor with the participation of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Georgia and other countries. Strengthening export and import capacities is a prerequisite for the country’s economic prosperity. The border and other law enforcement agencies play an important role in promoting trade via ensuring efficient and secure borders,” said Mr. Kondo Shunsuke, Charge d’Affaires ad interim of the Embassy of Japan in Turkmenistan, in his opening address.

“I am confident that this training will further enhance the efficiency of the law enforcement agencies’ work in ensuring border control and security. We are grateful to the Government of Japan for funding the regional border cooperation programme in Central Asia. The pandemic has imposed certain restrictions on our work. Despite that, we, together with the Turkish International Academy against Drugs and Organized Crime - our key partner in law enforcement training, are ensuring continuous learning and capacity-building of law enforcement officers and the implementation of the programme by conducting courses via videoconferencing,” said Mr. Yusuf Kurbonov, UNODC International Programme Coordinator, in his welcome remarks.

“The main goal of strengthening cooperation between the border and collaborating agencies is to expand their partnership aimed to consolidate their efforts to counter contemporary challenges and threats in border-related matters and promote universally recognized democratic norms and principles in their work - ultimately contributing to ensuring regional and global security,” said Mr. Vepa Shanazarov, Head of Department, State Border Service of Turkmenistan.

The training delivered by experts from the Turkish International Academy against Drugs and Organized Crime (TADOC) – the structure within the Turkish National Police established by UNODC, provided both theoretical and practical training sessions.

The participants learned about methods and strategies of countering drug-related crimes, international smuggling routes, document verification, search techniques, profiling, among others.

The training participants noted that such courses would enhance the efficiency of their work. “The results of the training will have a positive impact on the further development of multifaceted and mutually beneficial cooperation between the border and collaborating agencies and will become a platform that will increase the efficiency of ensuring security at the borders,” noted a training participant.

The training was conducted within the framework of the Cross-Border Cooperation Component of Sub-programme 1 “Countering transnational organized crime, illicit drug trafficking and preventing terrorism” of the UNODC Programme for Central Asia designed to counter the trafficking of Afghan opiates through the northern route by establishing Border Liaison Offices (BLOs) at the key border crossing points in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan. It is the first project to establish BLOs in Central Asia, and its stakeholders are the Ministries of Internal Affairs, Border Troops, Customs and Drug Control Agencies of each country. The component is funded by the Government of Japan.

 

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For further information, please contact:

Nurangez Abdulhamidova

Communication and External Relations Officer

UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia (Dushanbe)

Email: nurangez.abdulhamidova[at]un.org