UNODC and partners conducted a regional simulation training ‘Combating the legalization of criminal proceeds from drug trafficking’ in Uzbekistan.

On 15-18 November 2022, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in cooperation with the Academy of General Prosecutor’s Office (GPO) of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Department of Combating Economic crimes under the GPO organized a working meeting and a regional simulation training on ‘Combating the legalization of criminal proceeds from drug trafficking’.

This simulation training was aimed to improve the knowledge and skills of 18 representatives of regional offices of law enforcement agencies and financial intelligence of Uzbekistan from Namangan, Andijan and Ferghana and a representative from General Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Tajikistan on financial investigations and suppression of illegal financial flows related to organized crime and drug trafficking, drawing up a plan for a criminal investigation, procedural documents required to identify financial traces and seizing evidence confirming the legalization of criminal proceeds.

To increase the level of interdepartmental cooperation, the participants performed training tasks within the teams that consisted of specialists of various law enforcement agencies. One of the participants mentioned that the training conducted in national language helped to better understand the considering issues and provided the participants with an opportunity for open communication.

The participants had increased the level of interdepartmental cooperation, performed training tasks within the teams that consisted of specialists of various law enforcement agencies. They improved their knowledge and skills in drawing up a plan for a criminal investigation, procedural documents required to identify financial traces and seize evidence confirming the legalization of criminal proceeds. The training materials (model of a criminal case, script, material evidence, etc.) were shared with the Academy of General Prosecutor’s Office for further use in the educational process. 

Uygun Nigmadjanov, the Deputy Head of the Academy of GPO mentioned the long term successful working relationships with the UNODC and the positive results it brings to the overall success, this approach allowed to significantly increase the efficiency of the practitioners' training process and established close-to-real life conditions under which an investigation of a criminal case would be carried out in close cooperation with the internal affairs agency, prosecutor's office, and financial intelligence.  

This initiative is a part of the UNODC Central Asia Programme for 2022-2025 with the participation of the UNODC Global Anti Money Laundering Programme and with the financial support of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement of the State Department of USA.

For further information please contact:     

Arifa Fatikhova  

Communications and External Relations Officer

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) 

Regional Office for Central Asia

Mobile: (+998 99) 825-05-43 | Email: arifa.fatikhova[at]un.org