A webinar on “Priorities for Strengthening International Cooperation in the Fight Against Smuggling” convened by the Regional Office for Capacity Building (ROCB) of the World Customs Organization Europe Region took place on 16 March 2021 via videoconference with participation of representatives from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors (CARICC), Southeast European Law Enforcement Center (SELEC) and European countries customs authorities.  

Mr. Eser Çengel, Director of the ROCB, delivered opening remarks.

In their presentations, the SELEC representative outlined challenges and solutions of modern customs control, the UNODC representative mentioned significance of criminal justice cooperation in post-seizure cross-border drug investigations, and the ROCB representative also gave a presentation on methods of concealment in containers, unauthorized interference with filling device and manipulation of seals.

Ms. Tatiana EVDOKIMOVA, CARICC IAP analyst, shared results of a study on the use of container transportation for cross-border drug trade in 2018-2020 carried out by CARICC's Information and Analytical Unit.

Participants engaged organizers and international experts with questions, stressing the importance of online events and opportunities to share information in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.