UNODC Regional Office organized a training on “Identification of narcotic drugs, new psychoactive substances and illicit laboratories” in Tashkent from 9 to 14 December 2024.

The event was held at the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan within the framework of the project on strengthening coordination of Inter-Agency Mobile Teams (IMT) in Uzbekistan.

This training is part of Phase III of the project “Countering Drug Trafficking through Enhanced Coordination and Capacity Building of Inter-Agency Mobile Teams (IMT) in Uzbekistan”, funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau (INL).

The event was aimed at training Uzbekistan law enforcement officers who are part of the Inter-Agency Mobile Teams (IMT) and the Operations Coordination Group (OCG), who improve skills in detecting synthetic drugs, new psychoactive substances and dismantling clandestine laboratories.

Mr. Barzu Avazzoda, CARICC analyst, participated as an expert from the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors (CARICC). Other international experts were also invited to participate in the event.

Training sessions included real-life examples and practical exercises on identifying and dismantling illegal laboratories, collecting information and conducting operational actions, and exchange of views on new trends in drug trafficking and methods of combating production of synthetic drugs.

A meeting of the Joint Working Group of the Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors was held in Almaty on 11 December 2024.

During the meeting parties discussed current drug situation in the Central Asian region and Afghanistan, exchanged views on potential threats and risks of destabilization in the region, discussed information on involvement of terrorist organizations in smuggling of narcotic drugs along the “Northern route”.

Detailed information exchange on ongoing developments in combating the financing of terrorism from drug proceeds and prospects for further cooperation in this area took place during the talks.

Parties agreed to convene next meeting of the Joint Working Group in 2025 at the SCO RATS EC premises in Tashkent.

On December 5, 2024, a regular meeting of the Scientific Council of the Tashkent State Law University was held.

In it Mr Azizbek Erkaboev defended his thesis on “Issues of improving the international legal framework for drug control and combating illicit trafficking in Central Asia”, submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in legal sciences in the specialty “12.00.10 - International Law”.

All members of the Council unanimously supported this scientific work.

In this regard, we sincerely congratulate Mr Erkaboev on behalf of the staff of the Central Asian Regional Information Coordination Center for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors and wish him great success in his future work!

A roundtable discussion and meetings with representatives from Afghanistan Research Center of Shaanxi University and the International Center for Drug Policy Studies of Shanghai University were held in Xi'an and Sanya, PRC, on 18 - 20 November 2024.

Experts from the Anti-Terrorism Center of the Commonwealth of Independent States also participated in the roundtable. Opinions were exchanged on establishment of a cooperation platform between the Afghanistan Research Center of Shaanxi University, the International Center for Drug Policy Studies of Shanghai University, CARICC and the CIS ATC during the talks.

Participants discussed prospects for cooperation in exchange of information and development of analytical studies on countering terrorism and drug trafficking, links between illegal migration and drug trafficking, financing of terrorism with drug proceeds, etc.