On May 2, 2023, the webinar “Securing borders with enhanced information and cybersecurity measures” was held via videoconference, organized by the Regional Office for Capacity Building for the European Region of the World Customs Organization (ROCB).

The event was attended by representatives of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center for combating illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors (CARICC), Southeast European Law Enforcement Center (SELEC), the State Customs committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan and representatives of the customs services of the states of the European region.

The director of the Directorate for Capacity Building of the World Customs Organization, Mr. Kang Taeil, and the head of the ROCB, Mr. Mirhasan Saidzade, addressed the participants of the webinar with welcoming words.

In their speeches, the webinar participants noted the importance of drawing attention to existing and potential problems in the region and joining efforts in the field of advanced information and cyber security measures, as well as discussing recent achievements and best practices.

Analyst of IAP CARICC Mr. Shahboz Komilzoda made a presentation about software in analytical work to the participants of the webinar.

An exchange of views took place between the participants of the webinar, the importance of close international cooperation between customs structures and international partners was emphasized.

On April 28, 2023, a meeting was held in Almaty with a US delegation led by James Callahan, Senior Program Advisor for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) of the State Department.

At the meeting, representatives of CARICC informed the American side about the current activities, achievements and proposed initiatives of the Center, which is one of the large-scale projects of UNODC.

At the same time, attention is drawn to the analysis of information indicating a deterioration in the drug situation in the region, primarily due to the spread of synthetic drugs, including using the Internet.

Taking into account the development of the drug situation in the region, it was proposed to make wider use of CARICC opportunities to implement new initiatives, including through UNODC projects in Central Asia funded by the United States.

In turn, the US delegation expressed hope for the further development of CARICC in organizing its activities, conducting anti-drug operations, as well as carrying out information and analytical functions.

In the period from April 24 to April 28, 2023, the sixth National simulation training for practitioners on countering the legalization (laundering) of proceeds from drug crime was held on the basis of CARICC.

The organizers were the Regional Hub for Countering Global Threats of the Law Enforcement Academy under the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan, CARICC, the US Embassy in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the OSCE Program Office in Astana and the UNODC Regional Office in Central Asia.

The event was also attended by representatives of CARICC, the Academy of the General Prosecutor's Office, the Financial Monitoring Agency, the National Security Committee, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the territorial bodies of the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as international experts of the project "Strengthening the capacity of competent authorities in conducting parallel financial investigations and suppressing illegal financial flows associated with organized crime and drug trafficking”.

The training was attended by interdepartmental investigative teams from 4 regions of Kazakhstan - Atyrau, Abay, Zhetysu and Ulytau regions.

One of the main objectives of the simulation training was to develop methods of interaction within the framework of interdepartmental investigative and operational groups to identify channels and schemes for financing drug crime.

The participants of the simulation training exchanged expert opinions, experience and best practices on the latest developments in financial investigations and the suppression of illegal financial flows related to organized crime, drug trafficking, cybercrime and virtual assets.

 Participants and organizers of the training noted the high practical value of events held in this format.

In Almaty, on April 13, 2023, took place a meeting of the CARICC Director A.Yazlyyev with the Deputy Director of the Department of Strategic Analysis and Public Relations of UNODC F.Klimchuk and the Deputy Head of the Department of Joint Financing and Partnership of UNODC I.Kondratiev.

The meeting participants discussed the status and prospects of CARICC activities, as well as issues of expanding the cooperation of the Center with international partners to achieve common goals and objectives.

A proposal was considered on the possibility of organizing a high-level international forum under the auspices of the CARICC with the invitation of the heads of the competent authorities of the participating States and observers of the Center.

The parties expressed their readiness to work out a set of issues to improve the effectiveness of regional anti-drug cooperation in close cooperation between CARICC and UNODC.