An expert meeting was held in Tashkent on 5-6 December 2023 to discuss trends in distribution of opiates and methamphetamine from Afghanistan via the Northern and Caucasus routes.

Representatives from Central Asia, the Caucasus and Pakistan, together with experts from UNODC, the OSCE, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Department of Justice, discussed trends in distribution of opiates and methamphetamine originating in Afghanistan through the Northern and Caucasus routes.

CARICC representative gave a review presentation on current development of drug situation in Central Asia, informed about ongoing efforts in organizing and carrying out joint counter-narcotics operations, provided information on analytical products of the Centre, as well as outlined proposals for intensification of proposals in this direction.

Delegations from Central Asian and Caucasus countries informed about drug situation in their countries and measures taken to stabilize it.

In conclusion, participants identified priorities for further joint action in analyzing and anticipating developments in order to strengthen cooperation in countering trafficking in opiates and methamphetamine originating in Afghanistan in countries along the Northern and Caucasus routes.

CARICC Informational and Analytical Unit representative delivered the second stage of training for officers of the Anti-Corruption Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan on skills and practical application of specialized software "i2 iBase" and "i2 Analyst Notebook" at the Academy of Law Enforcement Agencies under the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Astana) from 20 November to 1 December 2023.

During the workshop participants covered the use of individual functions of the specialized software "i2" and the application of this system in information and analytical purposes of collecting, analyzing and producing tabular data for reporting and briefs.

Participants reported that the training fully corresponded to their functional objectives and was highly useful in daily operations of the agency.

Traininees noted high-level preparation of the event and instructors, and interesting and relaxed method of presenting training material. They appreciated the move away from template methodology of lectures and the method of reinforcing studied content by solving practical exercises directly using specialized software.

CARICC Information and Analytical Unit staff members participated in a meeting of the Regional Working Group on Precursors of the UNODC Regional Programme for Afghanistan and Neighboring Countries in Dushanbe on 29-30 November 2023.

The event was attended by representatives of competent authorities from Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan and Iran (online), experts from the International Narcotics Control Board and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

At the meeting participants discussed implementation of recommendations from the previous meeting of the regional working group and exchanged views on the latest trends in precursor trafficking in West and Central Asia.

CARICC representatives made suggestions on implementation of next phases of operations to combat the spread of synthetic drugs - "Reflex" and to prevent diversion of precursors into trafficking - "Substitute".

Following discussions participants produced relevant recommendations.

Mr. A. Yazlyyev, CARICC Director, participated in the 56th Session of the Subcommission on Illicit Drug Traffic and Related Matters in the Near and Middle East, which was held in Bishkek from 21 to 24 November this year.

More than 80 delegates from Azerbaijan, Bahrain, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Germany, Italy, Russia, UNODC, EU, Criminal Information Center to Combat Drugs, Secretariat of the Arab Interior Ministers Council, etc. participated in the work of the Subcommission.

Participants discussed relevant questions of regional and subregional cooperation in combating drug trafficking and related topics.

During the event CARICC Director delivered a presentation on drug situation in the Centre's Member States and measures taken to stabilize it. Due to emerging drug situation in the region, Mr. A. Yazlyyev called for wider use of the Centre's capabilities to exchange information on transnational organized criminal groups within the framework of the so-called "Networking the Networks" initiative.