UNODC Further Supports the Central Asian Law Enforcement Network Against Trafficking in Persons

On 28 November 2023, UNODC convened the meeting of the Central Asian Law Enforcement Network Against Trafficking in Persons (CALENTIP) in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The meeting brought together law enforcement of Central Asian countries and experts from UNODC, Interpol, India and Belgium.

Dr. Reda Sirgediene, UNODC Regional Adviser for Central Asia on Countering Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants opened the event by emphasizing the growing importance of international cooperation in investigating trafficking in persons crimes, especially with the target countries for the region. She underscored the pivotal role of UNODC, U.S. Department of State’s Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), European Union and Interpol’s partnership in facilitating the Central Asian law enforcement actions against trafficking in persons.

Mr. Nate Rettenmayer, INL Director at the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent highlighted the pervasive nature of criminal activities transcending geographical borders and underscored the importance of active collaboration among all stakeholders to tackle organized crime. He outlined the INL’s role and support in the fight against trafficking in persons and expressed gratitude towards UNODC for cooperation.  

The meeting focused on sharing best regional and international practices in dismantling criminal groups and disrupting trafficking in persons through coordinated police actions including intelligence sharing and coordinated investigation processes. The representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan presented comprehensive updates on their respective efforts in combating trafficking in persons. The international experts discussed the recent trends, victim-centered investigation approaches, financial investigation models, international cooperation mechanisms, the Interpol’s tools and initiatives to support Member States in investigating trafficking in persons, as well as the Indian and Belgian practices to address trafficking in persons. The case study gave a comprehensive overview and insights into the modus operandi of traffickers from Central Asia to India, victims’ profiles and vulnerabilities, as well as strategies to successfully investigate international trafficking in persons crimes and ensure necessary assistance to victims of such crimes.

The discussions were concluded with exploring the prospects of enhancing the capacity of Central Asian authorities to investigate international trafficking in persons crimes and outlining the CALENTIP’s way forward. The next meeting takes place in spring 2024.

The meeting was organized under financial support of the U.S. Government and European Union.