UNODC in partnership with TADOC organized the regional training on risk analysis and contraband detection practices at airports for competent authorities of Central Asia

On 19-30 September 2022, UNODC, jointly with experts from the Turkish International Academy against Drugs and Organized Crime (TADOC) – the structure within the Turkish National Police established by UNODC, conducted regional training courses on risk analysis and contraband detection methods at airports. The trainings were conducted in two batches of participants, comprised of 27 representatives of law enforcement and competent authorities from five Central Asian States: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

It is the first of its kind to organize the UNODC-led trainings at premises of the Istanbul international Airport which is regarded as one of the largest and most connected airports in the world with cutting-edge technology applied in its services throughout the airport.   

“The Istanbul airport was chosen as a venue specifically for this training, being one of the biggest and the newest airports equipped with advance technical means”, - stated Mr. Erdem Özler, Director of the TADOC Department. Mr. Özler further highlighted the longstanding cooperation between UNODC and TADOC and emphasized that this training would enhance the exchange of the best practices and information among the participating law enforcement agencies and contribute to effectively incorporating the knowledge and skills gained through the trainings into the actual operations.  

The trainings aimed to equip the law enforcement officers with the knowledge, techniques, and skills to effectively combat smuggling of contraband at airports, as well as to facilitate the exchange of the best practices and information among the participants with a specific focus on countering smuggling activities. While shedding light on the theoretical aspects of the relevant operational activities in tackling this matter, the training was also practically oriented and comprised of exercises and demonstrations of workflow processes executed by the competent authorities at the premises of the Istanbul International Airport.

The training courses were delivered by TADOC trainers with extensive professional experiences in risk profiling and search operations. During the training process, the core principles and legal regulations of the relevant operations, their techniques, tools, and methods used for countering illicit drugs and other goods trafficking, as well as other crimes at airports were highlighted. Among others, specialized equipment, K9 unit, surveillance, risk analysis and profiling with examples of the recent seizures made at the Istanbul airport were demonstrated which benefited the participants for gaining practical knowledge and skills. 

As a result of the comprehensive trainings conducted which involved extensive practical sessions, the training participants are now able to organize the work of risk analysis units, conduct various types of analyses (travel documents, travel routes, passengers’ appearances, and behaviors, etc.), effectively apply various interviewing and examination techniques, identify the security features in the travel documents, and collect, analyze, and systemize data from various analytical databases.  

“As UNODC situates capacity building of the national law enforcement officers in the region as primary importance in tackling its unique problems in countering smuggling of contraband, this training was tailored in accordance with the priorities and needs of the competent authorities”, -emphasized Mr. Yusuf Kurbonov, UNODC International Programme Coordinator. 

In this regard, the training was conducted in a successful manner as the participants found great relevance to their actual operations and demonstrated eagerness to put the learnings into practice in each of their respective law enforcement operations. The participants particularly emphasized that the training filled with practical sessions and the active exchange of the best practices with the law enforcement agencies of Türkiye (a country of multiple transport modes and logistics’ hub) were the keys for the success of the training.

 

The high-level interagency cooperation and its integrated management mechanisms among the competent authorities present at the Istanbul airport also brought learning opportunities for the participating countries which expanded their perspectives on the relevant areas of work. With the successful delivery of the training, the participants noted their gratitude as well as its strong will to continue the cooperation with UNODC to secure further learning opportunities in efforts to enhance their operational capacities. 

 

The training was conducted within the framework of the Cross-Border Cooperation Component of Sub-programme 1 “Countering transnational organized crime, illicit drug trafficking and preventing terrorism” of the UNODC Programme for Central Asia designed to counter the trafficking of Afghan opiates through the Northern Route by establishing Border Liaison Offices (BLOs) at the key border crossing points in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan. It is the first project to establish BLOs in Central Asia, and its stakeholders are the Ministries of Internal Affairs, Border Guards, Customs and Drug Control Agencies of each country. The component is funded by the Government of Japan.

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 93) 505-05-58 | Email: arifa.fatikhova[at]un.org