On June 29, 2022, in Almaty, a regular meeting of the Council of National Coordinators (CNC) of the CARICC member states was held in a hybrid format.

The event was attended by members of the CNC and their delegated representatives, employees of the UNODC headquarters and regional office in Central Asia, as well as heads of CARICC divisions.

The meeting participants discussed the emerging drug situation in the CARICC region and exchanged views on the necessary measures to stabilize it.

Director of CARICC Major General of Militia R. Miralizoda informed about the current activities of the Center, in particular, about the ongoing activities from 2020 to the present 7 short-term anti-drug operations with the participation of law enforcement agencies of the CARICC member states, Afghanistan, as well as European countries (Netherlands, Belgium, Italy). As a result, 740 kg of drugs (heroin, mephedrone, MDMA, cannabis) were seized. CARICC acted as a link between the participants in the operations and ensured close cooperation among the competent authorities of the parties.

As part of the information and analytical activities of CARICC, work is underway to fill the Centralized Data Bank with information and update the data of the CARICC web portal on seizures of large consignments of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. Strategic analysis is carried out on the basis of information materials prepared by the Center (weekly summaries, reviews, news releases, bulletins and messages).

The Director of the Center noted that against the background of the current situation in Afghanistan, the drug situation in the CARICC member states is deteriorating. The volume of seized drugs in 2021 compared to 2020 increased by 21.9%, the amount of confiscated heroin increased by 82.1% and opium by 41.5%. Given the development of the drug situation in the region, a further increase in the smuggling of Afghan opiates along the Northern route is predicted.

At the meeting, the parties also exchanged information on the progress of the participating states' internal procedures for agreeing on the draft Agreement on the exchange and protection of classified information within the framework of CARICC, previously approved at the CNC meeting on November 23, 2021.

The parties discussed the information of CARICC and UNODC on the financial stability of the Center, exchanged views on the issue of making voluntary contributions to its activities, as well as amending the statutory documents of the Center.

At the meeting, the CNC members prepared a recommendation to the Heads of CARICC member states on the appointment of a representative of Turkmenistan to the position of Director of CARICC in the order of rotation.

As a result of the event, an agreement was reached to hold a regular meeting of the CNC in Almaty in the second half of 2022.