Border Police and Customs officials from South-Eastern Europe on a study visit to learn on Risk Analysis and Search Techniques

26-30 September, Istanbul, Türkiye: UNODC jointly with the Turkish Counter Narcotics Training Academy (NEA) organized a five-day study visit on strengthening the capacities of Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia in countering drug trafficking and securing borders in the region with an emphasis on risk analysis and search techniques.

The study visit was led by a team of three experienced NEA trainers who conducted the lectures and shared their experiences with 12 experts from Customs Administrations and Border Police on successful interdiction techniques and cross-border crime prevention. The participants strengthened their skills and expertise in risk analysis, search techniques and current drug trafficking trends and routes and were able to apply the acquired knowledge during practical on-site exercises with different types of search techniques on various vehicles as well as to conduct interviews using a human rights-based approach in compliance with international standards in this area.

The visit also served as a platform for the participants to share good practices and risk assessment procedures implemented by their respective agencies. The experts learned not only about techniques and methods to effectively counter drug trafficking but also ways to tackle serious organized crime and terrorism threats.

The training course was organized in the framework of the UNODC Regional Programme for South Easter Europe (RP SEE) and is fully complementary with other UNODC activities in this region.