The Port and Air Cargo Control Units in Central Asia strengthened capacity to suppress drug trafficking within the framework of the UNODC-WCO Global Container Control Programme

On 19-21 September 2023, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) jointly with the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan successfully conducted Regional training on combatting trafficking in drugs and precursors within the UNODC-WCO Global Container Control Programme (CCP) at the Training centre of the Border Service Academy in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

The training focused on strengthening the theoretical knowledge and practical skills of the Customs, Border Service, and other law enforcement officers, including the members of the Port Control Units (PCUs) and Air Cargo Control Units (ACCU) of Central Asia in combatting trafficking in drugs and precursors, synthetic drugs, and new psychoactive substances by applying modern customs and border control techniques and systems, as well as to promote cooperation between Customs and other law enforcement agencies in this area at the national and regional levels. 30 representatives of Customs and other competent authorities of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, and the programme partners and donors attended the training.

Welcoming the training participants, Mr. Alibek Ismailov, Deputy Head of Border Service Academy of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan stressed the UNODC’s significant role in increasing national capacities of law enforcement officers in combatting illicit drug trafficking, transnational organized crime, terrorism, and other forms of black-market activity. He mentioned that since 2023, the Border Service of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan joined the CCP, and practical implementation of the Programme proved its strength in international cooperation on information sharing and best practices exchange via the WCO ContainerCOMM.       

Sardor Atashikov, CCP Regional Programme Coordinator in Central Asia thanked the Government of Kazakhstan for hosting the training and commended Kazakhstan’s efforts in preventing and suppressing illicit drug production, trafficking, and related crime. He emphasized a crucial importance of the training topic for the region considering the existing drug supply chain from Afghanistan to the Europe and intensified transnational organized criminal groups activities, and acknowledged therefore the achievements of the CCP Inter-Regional Network of Customs Authorities and Port Control Units in this direction. Recent impressive seizure of 8.5 tons of opium poppy straw (kuknar) with a high content of opium alkaloids made by ACCU at Aviayuklar Customs post of the Tashkent International Airport became possible through efficiency and responsiveness of the rapid exchange of requests and responses, as well as the possibility to process retrospective data on previous seizure made by ACCU at Almaty international airport in May 2023.  

The participants learned about the documentation and labeling of drug precursors, production of heroin and cocaine and existing trafficking routes, as well as about modern trends in drug concealment methods and drug crime detection techniques. Participants practiced in risk profiling and risk assessment skills through documentation control, mapping high risk routings for drugs and precursors. Participants expressed their gratitude to the UNODC and WCO experts and noted the importance of capacity-building activities for border management authorities to ensure public and border security and to suppressing drugs and precursors trafficking, organized crime, and other illicit goods whilst facilitating regional trade.     

The CCP Regional Segment for Central Asia is funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), the Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) Programme, and the Government of France.

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For more information contact Vasilina Brazhko

UNODC Criminal justice programme for Central Asia 

Communications and PR Specialist at 

+996775987817 WhatsApp 

vasilina.brazhko[at]un.org