CARICC Director A. Yazlyyev met with Ms. Iwona Ksiazczyk-Wirtel, First Counselor for Customs and Fiscal Matters of the National Revenue of Poland at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Astana on 21 October 2024.

At the meeting they discussed status and prospects of cooperation in the field of countering transnational drug threat, exchange of information in this area between officials of competent authorities of Poland and CARICC.

National Revenue Administration of Poland is an independent agency that unites tax administration, fiscal control and customs service of Poland. Its tasks include coordination of efforts to combat drug trafficking at national and international levels.

CARICC delegation headed by Director A. Yazlyyev took part in the international scientific-practical conference “Academic Partnership - Cooperation for Security”, organized by the Academy of the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Almaty on 10-11 October 2024.

The event was dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Academy of KNB of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

During the meeting participants exchanged views on a wide range of topics on ensuring regional and national security, discussed proposals in the field of scientific and methodological support and implementation of program documents of security agencies and special services of the CIS member states.

CARICC Director informed about objectives of the Centre aimed at assisting in providing a set of measures to counter transnational drug crime. He highlighted effective counter-narcotics cooperation between the KNB of Kazakhstan and CARICC in implementation of joint operational actions in international controlled delivery of drugs.

CARICC representative took part in the Regional Workshop on Preventing Drug and New Psychoactive Substances Use among Youth in Central Asia held in hybrid format on 2-3 October 2024 in Dushanbe.

The event was organized by the Strategic Police Matters Unit of the Transnational Threats Department of the OSCE Secretariat in co-operation with the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Drug Control Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan.

The meeting gathered representatives of competent authorities of Central Asian states, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the EU Central Asia Drug Action Programme (CADAP), the European Action Against Drugs and Organized Crime (EU-ACT 2), and the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA).

During the workshop participants discussed current situation with illicit trafficking of drugs and new psychoactive substances in Central Asia and exchanged views on international cooperation in the field of early drug prevention.

In conclusion, participants prepared relevant recommendations.

A training workshop on collection, analysis and exchange of data between competent authorities of the Central Asian countries on illicit movement of drugs along the Northern route was held on 24-25 September 2024 in Almaty at CARICC.

The event held in hybrid format was attended by representatives of competent authorities of CARICC Member States, the Centre's observer countries, the UNODC Information Centre for researching and analyzing transnational threats related to drugs and crime (Information Centre), the U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration Almaty office.

CARICC experts delivered a presentation on main indicators of drug situation in the region and detailed structure of drug crimes and seized narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and precursors. Head of the Information Centre informed about activities of the Centre and results of ongoing monitoring of situation in Afghanistan. Delegations of Central Asian countries made presentations on drug situation in their countries.

The meeting also discussed current challenges in countering illicit drug trafficking, ways to improve cooperation mechanisms with regard to new trends and developments in drug situation.  

In conclusion, participants developed a list of recommendations to improve data collection, analysis and sharing in combating illicit drug trafficking.