CARICC delegation headed by Director A. Yazlyyev took part in events of the 68th Session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs held in Vienna on 10-14 March 2025.

CARICC organized a side-event on “Early Warning Systems as an Effective Mechanism for Countering New Psychoactive Substances in Central Asia” in the framework of the forum. The event was co-organized by the Central Asian countries and the UNODC Regional Office for Afghanistan, Central Asia, Iran and Pakistan.

CARICC co-organized a side-event on “Joining Efforts to Develop Effective Responses to Drug Trafficking and Related Offences”. The event was organized jointly with the Regional Office for Capacity Building for the Europe Region of the World Customs Organisation, with the support of the Afghanistan Research Center at Shaanxi University and the International Centre for Drug Policy Studies at Shanghai University.

CARICC delegation also participated in side events “Prevention of Drug Abuse and Drug Related Crimes Among Women: Global, Regional and National Approaches” organized by the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan; “Tackling Illicit Drugs and Related Crimes in Afghanistan and the Region: Launch of UNODC’s Roadmap for Afghanistan and Neighbouring Countries” organized by the UNODC Regional Office for Afghanistan, Central Asia, Iran and Pakistan; “Development and Promotion of Universal, Coordinated Drug Prevention Measures” organized by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic; and “Ways to Improve Cooperation Mechanisms: Taking into Account New Trends and the Development of the Drug Situation Along the Northern Route” organized by the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan.

A number of CARICC bilateral meetings with partners and donors were also arranged on the sidelines of the 68th Session of the CND.

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Global Programme on Criminal Network Disruption (GPCD), Border Management Branch (BMB) and Regional Office for Afghanistan, Central Asia, Iran and Pakistan (ROCA) organized an interregional Expert Working Group event on mapping criminal networks involved in trafficking with focus on opiates and methamphetamine trafficking along the South Caucasus and Northern routes.

The aim of the Expert Working Group is to facilitate information exchange among experts. CARICC analyst took part 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 the event.

Law enforcement officials and prosecutors from 13 countries discussed joining efforts to combat heroin and methamphetamine trafficking along the South Caucasus and Northern routes. Topics of discussion centered on emerging trends, intelligence sharing, and cross-border cooperation.

CARICC hosted a meeting with Edwige Presle-Weiss, Regional Customs Attaché at the Embassy of France in Moscow, on 26 February 2025.

CARICC Information and Analytical Unit and liaison officers from Kazakhstan, Iran and Mongolia also joined the meeting.

Participants discussed trends in drug situation in CARICC member and observer states. Parties reported high volumes of seizures of opiates and cannabinoids, and emergence of new types of synthetic drugs. They exchanged views on the prospects for enhancing cooperation in the counter-narcotics field.

A meeting of representatives of counter-narcotics units of law enforcement agencies of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan was organized at CARICC from 3 to 5 February 2025 to exchange information and experience in countering distribution of new synthetic drugs.

At the opening of the meeting CARICC Director A. Yazlyyev stated that taking into account current trend of drug situation development in Central Asian countries and the growing threat of spread of synthetic drugs, it becomes essential to exchange best practices in combating illicit drug trafficking, including detection and interdiction of activities of clandestine drug laboratories.

Results of the latest monitoring showed that the amount of psychotropic substances seized in CARICC Member States increased by 40.3%, the number of detected drug laboratories producing synthetic and other types of drugs went up by 16.1%.

During the three-day event participants were offered practical training on identification methods for narcotic drugs, psychotropic and potent substances and precursors, including ways to recognize it at border customs checkpoints.