On 20-21 February 2020, a high-level international conference was held in Rome, organized by the Central Directorate for Coordination of Anti-Drug Services of the Ministry of the Italian Republic Internal Affairs, with the participation of CARICC Director Mr. R. Miralizoda.

At the conference, heads of counternarcotics agencies from 56 states, OSCE executive structures, OSCE partners for cooperation, international organizations and civil society discussed issues of international cooperation in combating transnational drug crime, drug trafficking, as well as problems of drug abuse prevention faced by the international community.

The CARICC delegation presented a report on "Threats. Routes. Cooperation".

Director of the Center Major-General of Police Miralizoda Rustam Aziz in his speech informed the participants of the symposium about joint operations with the competent authorities of CARICC member states in the field of combating drug trafficking, analytical work and information exchange, as well as projects implemented with international partners.

At the end of the meeting the sides noted the need for integration of international structures, establishment of inter-grid partnership and interaction, which will create a prerequisite for more effective cooperation in combating transnational drug threat.

Also, on the margins of the conference, the Director of CARICC R. Miralizoda held a number of bilateral meetings, in particular with:

• heads of delegations from competent authorities of CARICC member states:

- Head of the GUBN of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Colonel of Police Gumbatov I.M;

- Deputy Head of the Main Drug Control Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, Major General of Police S.N. Savochkin.

- First Deputy Director of the Drug Control Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Major General Samad Z.T.;

- Director of the National Information and Analytical Centre on Drug Control under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, O. Narzullaev.

• heads of delegations from competent authorities of CARICC observer states, other countries and international organizations:

- Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Major General Hashim U.;

- Chief of the Anti-Narcotics Police of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Brigadier General Zahedian M.;

- Head of the Criminal Intelligence Unit of the Ministry of Interior of Spain. Colonel Antonio Cortez R.;

- Head of the Central Office for Drug Control of the Ministry of Interior of the Italian Republic, General Gucciar J.;

- Head of the Federal Directorate for Organized Crime and Cross-Border Cooperation, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Arkand M;

- INTERPOL representative Ms. Misho L.G.;

- Head of the Strategic Police Matters Unit at OSCE Headquarters, Guy Vinet.

During the meetings, topical issues of interaction in various areas of joint activities, both organizational and practical, were discussed.

Regional training course for law enforcement investigators of CARICC Member States, Observer States and counterparts on investigation of illicit trafficking of NPS facilitated by Darkweb and the use of cryptocurrencies was held in the premises of the Central Asian Regional Information Coordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors (CARICC) in Almaty on 17-21 February 2020.

The event was attended by representatives of competent authorities of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan and Mongolia, and also by SCO RATS.

The course was organized by the Strategic Police Matters Unit of the Transnational Threats Department of the OSCE Secretariat in cooperation with CARICC and with the support of the Nizhny Novgorod Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Participants assessed that the training course is very relevant to countries of the region, as it addresses the use of information and communication technologies for criminal purposes, including those related to drug trafficking, including NPS.

Illicit use of cryptocurrency and Darkweb is becoming a challenge to states in the region. Such trainings contribute to professional development of employees of competent authorities of CARICC member and observer states and spread best practices to counter this threat.

A meeting of experts from the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Georgia, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Russian Federation, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan was held on 29-30 January 2020 at the initiative of the Drugs Research Section of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime headquarters in Vienna. The meeting was attended by independent scientific experts, a representative of CARICC and UNODC employees.

The expert meeting discussed current drug situation and recent trends in opiate traffic along the so-called “Northern Route”.

In addition, an issue of increasing trafficking in synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substances in CARICC Member States was also raised.

Outcome of the expert meeting will serve as a basis for further monitoring of the situation and research work on trafficking in opiates along the “Northern Route” from Afghanistan through Central Asia to the Russian Federation.

Chairman of the Council of National Coordinators of CARICC Member States, Major-General Tlegen Matkenov presented new director of the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center for combating illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, Major-General Rustam Aziz Miralizoda to CARICC employees, authorized representatives of competent authorities of CARICC Member States, liaison officers of observer states at CARICC, employees of UNODC Programme Office in Almaty on January 31, 2020.

Mr. Rustam Aziz Miralizoda is a representative of the Republic of Tajikistan, who has been appointed on a rotational basis by heads of CARICC Member States upon recommendation of the Council of National Coordinators and will take up his duties from February 2, 2020.

During the event the chairman of the Council of National Coordinators of CARICC Member States, authorized representatives, liaison officers, employees of the DEA Office in Almaty, Middle East region of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency as well as the acting Head of the UNODC Programme Office in Almaty welcomed the newly appointed Director of CARICC, Major-General Rustam Aziz Miralizoda and expressed gratitude to Colonel Grigory Pustovitov for his productive work as former director in coordinating efforts of competent authorities of CARICC Member States in combating transnational drug crime.