UNODC Builds Capacity of Uzbekistan Law- Enforcement Agencies in Disrupting Drug Trafficking Networks and Illicit Financial Flows

Modern national and transnational drug-trafficking networks, organized crime groups as well as many terrorist organizations are run like a business enterprise - they respond to the needs and demands of suppliers, customers, regulators and competitors and require funding, staff members, premises and equipment to operate. These groups find ways to supply illicit goods and services while navigating the risks posed by law enforcement, as well as their competitors. In order to effectively detect, investigate and disrupt these illicit networks and the illicit financial flows government agencies must use a range of advanced analytical techniques.

To introduce a new approach to combatting organized crime which has been recently developed by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) - a three-day training course aimed at strengthening the capacity of the Republic of Uzbekistan to identify and disrupt drug trafficking networks concluded in Chimgan on 15-17 June 2022.

The training seminar was delivered to the managers and practitioners from the Financial Intelligence Unit, Ministry of Interior, General Prosecutors Office, Training Academy of the General Prosecutors Office and National Informational Analytical Centre on Drug Control under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

 

The aim of the training course was to assist Republic of Uzbekistan in successfully identifying, investigating and disrupting drug trafficking networks. The concepts which were taught on the course have been collected from academia, industry, private sector, military planning and other disciplines but have been tailored to be accessible and easily applied to the context of investigations of drug trafficking networks and their illicit financial flows.

“Some of the main priorities for Member States in the Central Asia region have emerged as: strengthening legal frameworks, policies and national strategies to counter illicit financial flows which come from the illegal drug trade and organized crime” emphasized Aliaksandr Vadziany, AML/CFT and Counter-narcotics Advisor at the UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia. “The FATF international standards cover not only technical compliance, but also the crucial issue of how effectively the national anti-money laundering systems actually function. In this vein, much attention is rightly paid to the ability of the competent authorities to conduct and support financial investigations into the illegal proceeds of drug trade and enhancing interagency cooperation.  This training course, during which we will look at new innovative methodologies to counter drug trafficking networks and their illicit financial flows, builds on the stock of UNODC’s efforts in the Republic of Uzbekistan.”

Deputy Head of the Academy of the General Prosecutor's Office, Uygun Nigmadzhanov, emphasized in his speech that the Republic of Uzbekistan is making serious efforts to identify and suppress illegal financial flows from drug trafficking. This work is carried out in close cooperation with all competent authorities and with the support of international partners including the UNODC.

During the countries mutual assessment for compliance with FATF international standards, international experts indicated that the work in this particular area needs to be strengthened. In this regard, the development and application of a methodology for identifying and investigating drug trafficking networks and illicit financial flows will enhance the effectiveness of the measures taken by the competent authorities.

The participants were trained to apply various analytical techniques to traditional and specialist investigation methods and identify current gaps in policy and capabilities as well as potential solutions for subsequent briefing to their senior managers.

The training activity was conducted with the financial support of the Government of Norway and U.S. Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and was organized by UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia in co-operation with the Afghan Opiate Trade Project, Research and Trend Analysis Branch and Global Programme against Money Laundering, Proceeds of Crime and the financing of Terrorism (GPML). 

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