Subregional seminar on “Risk Analysis and Search Techniques in Drug-Related Offences” was held in Tashkent from 23 to 25 September. This event was organized by the Regional Office for Capacity Building for the WCO Europe Region (ROCB Europe) in cooperation with CARICC and with the support of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The workshop aims to build capacity of law enforcement officers in Central Asian countries to use modern risk analysis techniques and conduct effective searches to combat drug trafficking.

The seminar brought together customs officials from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Turkmenistan.

During the event participants discussed ways to improve their skills in identifying and assessing risks associated with drug smuggling and studied advanced methods and tactics for conducting searches in various settings (transport, hiding places). Best practices and experiences were also shared among participating countries to strengthen regional cooperation in countering drug crime.

This included a detailed presentation by CARICC staff member on new security challenges and threats related to drug trafficking via the Darknet, social media, and encrypted channels. Attendees also learned about cutting-edge software for collecting, processing, and analyzing operational data, and examples of how these tools help improve investigations, interagency coordination, and the overall effectiveness of efforts to combat drug crime.

The seminar displayed its high relevance and practical significance, and enhanced capacity of customs officials in combating drug crime in Central Asia.