UNODC-supported Border Liaison Office in Uzbekistan prevented smuggling of ammunition

Interagency cooperation, intelligence-sharing and information exchange among law enforcement agencies in Central Asian countries play a key role in countering transnational organized crime. UNODC has been concentrating its efforts on supporting the vulnerable border areas by strengthening the border crossing points and establishing working intelligence-sharing and enhanced cross-border communication mechanisms allowing detection and interception of contraband.

On 18 December 2023, customs officers stationed at the UNODC-supported Border Liaison Office (BLO) at the Yallama border crossing point (BCP) in the Tashkent region of Uzbekistan intercepted a large shipment of ammunition.

During the inspection of the Gazelle courier vehicle, the officers found 14 boxes of 350 hunting shotgun shells hidden inside the meat products.

BLO at the Yallama BCP was established in 2020 and is one of 24 BLOs in the Central Asian region. BLOs are established at the key border crossing points under the Regional Project on Enhancing Cross-Border Cooperation by Strengthening the Capacity of Border Liaison Offices in Central Asia of Sub-programme 1: Preventing and Countering Transnational Organized Crime of the UNODC Programme for Central Asia 2022-2025.

It is the first initiative 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 project aims to strengthen the capacities of officers working at the BLOs representing all law enforcement agencies in countering transnational organized crime, including through various training programmes and the provision of cutting-edge equipment.

The project is funded by the Government of Japan.

 

*Photos are taken from Podrobno.uz.

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Nurangez Abdulhamidova

Communications and External Relations Specialist

UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia

Email: nurangez.abdulhamidova[at]un.org