UNODC and Turkiye hold an Inter-Regional conference on Tackling Drug and Illicit Trafficking with K9

3-6 October 2022, Ankara, Türkiye: UNODC jointly with the Turkish Counter Narcotics Training Academy (NEA), OSCE and the German Development Agency (GIZ) organized an inter-regional conference focused on best practices in the use of K9 units to fight organised crime. The conference focusing on tackling drugs and illicit trafficking brought together law enforcement staff involved in K9 operations, from Western Balkan jurisdictions and West and Central Asian countries including Iran and Pakistan in an effort to enhance cooperation in countering drug trafficking along the Balkan Route.

K9 experts from Europe and Turkiye delivered lectures on K9 use, best practices and management while sharing their experiences and demonstrating techniques and methods leading to successful drug interdiction and more secure borders.

During the discussions, the participants exchanged ideas and regional experience on the topic whilst seeking opportunities to expand inter-regional cooperation in the field of K9 and more widely the fight against trafficking. The establishment of national K9 training centres, career profiles for K9 handlers, multi-purpose K9, human and animal rights specifically the treatment of both K9 and handlers and further opportunity for inter-regional training events were thoroughly explored.

The conference served as a platform for the participants to share good practices and risk assessment procedures implemented by their respective agencies and jurisdictions and contributed to an enhanced regional cooperation. The conference was organized by Regional Office for South-Eastern Europe (ROSEE) in conjunction with Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries (RPANC) and is fully complementary to UNODC work in the region.