Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network West and Central Asia
(ARIN-WCA)
What is ARIN-WCA?
ARIN-WCA is an informal network of contacts of law enforcement and prosecution practitioners and a cooperative group in all aspects of tackling the proceeds of crime, which aim at increasing the effectiveness of Network members’ efforts, on a multi-agency basis, in depriving criminals of their illicit profits.
History and Timeline:
2002:
Dublin-Ireland hosted a conference with participation of representatives of all European Union Member States to discuss international cooperation in relation to asset recovery. In addition, practitioners participated in workshops that aimed to present recommendations dealing with the issue of identifying, tracing and seizing the profits of crime. As the result of one of the recommendations to establish an informal network and cooperation in the field of criminal asset identification and recovery, the Camden Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network (CARIN) was officially formed at the congress in the Hague.
2004:
Following on from the success of CARIN, which is mainly but not exclusively European in nature, six other regions have established informal asset recovery inter-agency networks mirroring the CARIN model including West and Central Asia region covering a large geographical area that was not fully represented in the ARIN global structure
2017:
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Regional Program for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries, Sub-Program 2, on “International/Regional Cooperation in Legal Matters”, in cooperation with the Country Office in Pakistan on and the support of the Global Program against Money Laundering, Proceeds of Crime and the Financing of Terrorism, convened a regional workshop on International Cooperation in Asset Recovery and Confiscation in Pakistan. Participants from six west and central Asian jurisdictions discussed the options available to them with regard to joining the ARIN structure. All agreed on creating their own asset recovery inter-agency network, in order to enhance international cooperation both within the region as well as with countries belonging to other ARINs worldwide
2018:
The 2nd practitioner meeting was organized in Kazakhstan, within the framework of the Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries, Sub-Programme 2 on “International/Regional Cooperation in Legal Matters”, in cooperation with Sub-Programme 2 of the Country Office in Pakistan on “Criminal Justice and Legal Reform” and the support of the Global Programme against Money Laundering, Proceeds of Crime and the Financing of Terrorism, the Global Programme for Strengthening the Capacities of Member States to Prevent and Combat Transnational Organized Crime and the Academy of law enforcement agencies under the General Prosecutor’s Office of Kazakhstan in the framework of its project “Regional hub against global threats”. As a result, the Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network West and Central Asia (ARIN-WCA) was formed and it was launched at a meeting in Astana hosted by the General Prosecutor's Office and Ministry of Interior of Kazakhstan and with participation of prosecution authorities and Attorney Generals’ Offices of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan attended
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