On June 24, 2022, on the basis of the Interdepartmental Center for Training Specialists in Combating Drug Crime of the Almaty Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the delegation of the Central Asian Regional Information Coordination Center for Combating Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Their Precursors (CARICC) namely  Adviser / Head of the Information and Analytical Division, Mr. Erkaboev A.A. and analytics of the same division Mr. Ergazin A.Sh. took part in the international scientific and practical conference on the topic: "The future without drugs", which was held in a hybrid format.

The Conference was attended by the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the leadership and staff of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the office of Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), representatives of the authorities of Almaty and public organizations, as well as experts from region of drug prevention programs, experts in the field of drug treatment and psychiatric care.

The participants discussed the latest trends related to illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in Central Asia and new threats in the field of illicit drug trafficking, as well as preventive measures aimed at reducing the demand for drugs.

In turn, Mr. A. Erkaboev informed about the role of the Center in the fight against international drug trafficking and expressed interest in strengthening cooperation by assisting in the training and advanced training of specialists in combating drug trafficking.

Following the meeting, the participants emphasized the importance of interaction through the expansion of international cooperation, the exchange of positive experience in the field of combating drug trafficking and preventing drug addiction.

On June 21-23, 2022, in Almaty, representatives of the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Their Precursors (CARICC/Center) took part in the international forum "Conducting financial investigations and interaction of competent authorities to counter legalization of criminal proceeds. International experience, state and problems”. The event is organized in a hybrid format.

The forum is organized with the support of UNODC and the OSCE with the participation of national partners, represented by the Academy of Law Enforcement Agencies under the General Prosecutor's Office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the National Security Committee and the Financial Monitoring Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The event was attended by representatives of the prosecutor's office, the agency/ service for financial monitoring and control, anti-corruption, state revenue and national security committees, specialized educational institutions of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, and also the delegations of UNODC, CARICC.

Forum participants presented presentations and reports on financial investigations, in particular, its analytical tools and products, investigative and judicial practice, interaction between interested law enforcement and government agencies, as well as international cooperation, including the return of assets from abroad.

At the end of the forum, the results of a broad discussion of new approaches and methods in conducting parallel financial investigations, the interaction of state bodies to combat money laundering and the withdrawal of capital, the exchange of experience on measures to improve the prevention of legalization of proceeds from crime were summed up, and recommendations were developed containing regional responses, measures, including a strategy and joint action plans for financial investigations.

The participants emphasized the importance of interaction through the expansion of international cooperation, the exchange of positive experience and the further development of relations in the field of economic and financial crimes.

On June 17, 2022, CARICC hosted a meeting between the Director of the Center R. Miralizoda and the Senior Advisor for Law Enforcement Programs of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement of the US Department of State (INL) James Callahan and the Head of the INL Programs Department at the US Embassy in Nur-Sultan John Dudley.

During the event, which was also attended by the heads of CARICC departments and invited employees of the competent authorities of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, the state and prospects for the activities of the Center, the main donor of which is the United States, were discussed.

At the meeting, the American side was informed about the results of international anti-drug operations under the coordination of CARICC under the method of controlled drug delivery.

The Director of CARICC informed about the activities of the Center in terms of expanding international cooperation with the countries of the Council of Arab Gulf States. Noted about the signing in March 2022 Memorandum of Understanding with the GCC Criminal Information Center to Combat Drugs headquartered in Doha (Qatar). The implementation of this Memorandum also provides for international operations with the Arab countries of the Gulf.

Representatives of the US State Department reported on the planned approval by Washington of a new grant aimed at supporting the activities of CARICC.

Within the framework of the components “Law enforcement systems for the collection, analysis and exchange of operational information in the field of drug control and law enforcement initiatives based on operational analytical data” and “Countering the traffic of opiates from Afghanistan through the northern route by strengthening the capacity of the main checkpoints and establishing border interaction offices” of Subprogramme 1 of the UNODC Program for Central Asian States during the period from June 6 to 11, 2022 in Tashkent, employees of the CARICC on the basis of the Institute for Advanced Studies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, a national training course was held on the study of methods for processing and analyzing information using specialized programs for employees of analytical departments of the Department of Internal Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

According to the participants, the training matched the functional responsibilities of the trainees and proved greatly helpful in the daily service and military activities of the employees of the above-mentioned agencies.  

The participants of the training noted the high level of organization of the event and the instructional staff as well as the interesting and simple presenting of the training material.