On May 18, 2022, a meeting of CARICC employees with representatives of the European Union in Central Asia was held at the Center.

CARICC was represented by the head of the Information and Analytical Division, Mr. Azizbek Erkaboev, and the analyst of the same division, Anuar Yergazin.

The European Union was represented by the Head of the Central Asia Drug Prevention Program (CADAP-7) Mr. Ernest Robello and the Cooperation Manager of the European Union Delegation to the Kyrgyz Republic Mr. Cosimo Lamberti-Fossati.

Mr. A. Erkaboev briefly informed about the current activities of the Center as one of the large-scale and significant UNODC projects in Central Asia, as well as the information and analytical work of the Center, including its improvement and the prospects for development plans.

During the meeting, representatives of the EU briefly announced information on the implementation of activities within the framework of the next phase of the Central Asia Drug Prevention Program (CADAP), including its goals and objectives.

The meeting participants also discussed a number of current and future issues within the framework of further bilateral cooperation, during which proposals and wishes were expressed.

In addition, the parties discussed the current drug situation, taking into account the threats of international drug trafficking and the spread of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances of synthetic origin emanating from Afghanistan.

The EU representatives emphasized the important role of CARICC on the anti-drug track and expressed an opinion on expanding cooperation, including a proposal to provide a platform for CARICC to conduct relevant events, including educational seminars and trainings.

On May 13, 2022, the Central Asian Regional Information Coordination Centre for combating illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors in Almaty was visited by a delegation of the Gulf Cooperation Council Criminal Information Center for Combating Drugs (GCC-CIC), headed by Director of GCC-CIC Brig.Sakr Bin Rashid Al Muraihi.

The parties represented by Mr. Rustam Aziz Miralizoda, Director of CARICC, and Saqr bin Rashid Al Muraihi, Director of GCC-CIC, not only presented information on current activities of the two centers in Central Asia and the Arab Gulf States, expressing mutual interest and intentions to implement effective joint cooperation aimed at combating trans-border organized crime related to drug trafficking, but also discussed issues of cooperation in exchanging information and experience, as well as preparing joint training courses.

The heads of the centers emphasized the importance of increasing bilateral cooperation against the backdrop of the rapidly changing drug situation and increasing volumes of seizures of hard drugs in their regions.

The parties discussed the drug situation in the member countries of their organizations, taking into account the threats of international drug trafficking and the spread of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances of synthetic origin emanating from Afghanistan.

Mr. A. Erkaboev, Advisor/Head of Information-Analytical Division of CARICC, and Mr. Saeed Musleh Al Dhubia, Head of Research and Training Division of GCC-CIC, addressed the ceremony.

Mr. Shahboz Komilzoda, Analyst of the Information-Analytical Division of CARICC, made a presentation on organizing and conducting international anti-drug activities, and highlighted the information-analytical direction of the Center.

As a result of the meeting, a Plan of Action was signed to implement the points of Memorandum of Understanding between CARICC and the General Secretariat of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), concluded in March of this year in Doha, Qatar, during the visit of CARICC delegation to the GCC-CIC.

The signing ceremony of the joint document was also attended by liaison officers of the competent authorities of the member states and CARICC staff.

On May 10-11, 2022, employees of the Drug Control Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan (DCA) visited CARICC.

The meeting was organized by the UNODC Program Office in Tajikistan within the framework of Sub-program 1 of the UNODC Program for Central Asia “Establishment of an Academic Training Center in the structure of the Drug Control Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan: Phase II”.

DCA representatives got acquainted with the activities of the Center, analytical products of CARICC, the current drug situation in the Central Asian region, as well as the results of work in the field of combating transnational drug crime, including the detection of clandestine laboratories using the potential of CARICC.

As a result of the visit, the staff of the DCA of the Republic of Tajikistan were presented with information and analytical materials of CARICC for use in their work, including training for employees of anti-drug units of law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Tajikistan.

In the period from April 25 to April 29, 2022, the fourth 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 Nur-Sultan, and the UNODC Regional Office in Central Asia.

The event was held with the participation of representatives of CARICC, the Academy of the General Prosecutor's Office, the Financial Monitoring Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the National Security Committee, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the prosecutor's office of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as invited international experts on 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 - Akmola, Mangistau, Pavlodar and West Kazakhstan regions.

With a welcoming speech, the participants of this event were addressed by acting. CARICC Director Ms. Assel Rakhimova. The representative of CARICC, Ms. Tatiana Evdokimova, made a presentation to the participants on the topic: “Peculiarities of conducting financial investigations in cases related to illicit trafficking in drugs and other prohibited substances” and provided practical assistance in conducting it from the position of an international expert in the field of financial investigations for the purposes of countering the laundering (legalization) of criminal proceeds from drug trafficking.

The format of the simulation training provided for the creation of conditions and situations aimed at simulating the actual commission of a criminal act in order to develop the practical skills of specialists in detecting, suppressing and investigating this type of crime; strengthening cooperation between financial intelligence units and law enforcement agencies to combat drug trafficking; definition and use of key indicators for the detection and confiscation of drug money.

One of the main tasks 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 significance of events held in this format.