Regional Working Group on Precursors (RWGP)
19-20 July 2016, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
With the purpose of bringing law enforcement agencies from the countries of West and Central Asia together, so as to share intelligence information, and review the recent trends and seizures in the region, the 9th meeting of the Regional Working Group on Precursors (RWGP) was conducted on 19 and 20 July 2016 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
The meeting was opened by H.E.Ambassador Yuri Sterk from the European Union. During the sessions of this meeting, the countries shared information on the precursor seizures, identified target investigation cases and recommended operational case meetings. Furthermore, the participants drafted a plan for the second phase of Operation Substitute. This is a regional operation on precursor chemicals, which willtarget acetic anhydride as well as legitimate movement of three non-controlled chemicals including acetic acid, ammonium chloride and acetyl chloride. The operation coordination center is determined to be CARICC. The period of this operation will be announced by CARICC through confidential communication channels.
Additionally, the meeting participants agreed to convene a Precursor Case Meeting (PCM) in November 2016 prior to the launching of Operation Substitute Phase 2, and also a briefing for Operation Substitute Phase 2. In the PCMs, the relevant law enforcement agencies share the information regarding the seizures, identify the ramifications in the region and make a plan for further back-tracking investigation on concrete investigation cases. The operational debrief is planned to be conducted at the next RWGP meeting to be convened during the 4th quarter of 2016.
