On the 9th of June 2017, an EU delegation led by Jean-Christophe Béllard, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs / Political Director of the European External Relations Service, visited CARICC.
From CARICC, the meeting was attended by Director, divisions’ heads, liaison officers of the State Customs Committee of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of National Security of Turkmenistan.
During the meeting, the visitors were briefed on the drug situation in the Central Asian region, the major drug trafficking transit routes.
CARICC leadership extended its wish for a more active development of relationship between the Center and the EU competent institutions. Moreover, CARICC leadership extended intention to establish close cooperation with the European Monitoring Center located in Portugal’s capital, in Lisbon.
In turn, J.-C. Béllard characterized the level of cooperation between the EU and Central Asian countries in the fight against drugs as good enough. At the same time, visitors expressed their interest in CARICC initiatives.
As a result of the meeting, both parties having noted the interest in further development of cooperation between CARICC and the EU competent organizations, exchanged views on concrete proposals for effective cooperation.

CARICC
http://www.caricc.org

From the 5th till 8th of June 2017, CARICC trainers delivered a next training in using capacities of specialized software «i2» in CARICC facilities.
The training was attended by the operational staff of the Drug Enforcement Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan and experts of the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan, who learnt capacities of “i2” software in combating crime during few days. 
This year more than 30 employees of the competent authorities of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan attended trainings in using specialized software conducted by CARICC experts.
The INL Office under the U.S. Embassy in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the UN office on Drugs and Crime Projects TD/RER/F23 “Law enforcement systems for the collection, analysis and intelligence exchange in combating drugs” and XAC/K22 “Counteracting the trafficking of opiates from Afghanistan through the Northern route by strengthening capacities of the major checkpoints and establishment of Border Liaison Officers” provide active support in implementing similar events. 
A series of other trainings and seminars are scheduled to upgrade the professional level of law enforcement and Task Forces in Central Asian region.

CARICC
http://www.caricc.org

During the period from May 30 to June 01, Lieutenant-General A. Sh. Shayakhmetov, Deputy Director of CARICC, made a field visit to Moscow (Russian Federation), where he had meetings with Major-General of Police, K.V. Smurov, First Deputy Head of Headquarters for Drug Control of the Ministry of the Interior of Russian Federation, and Major-General K.O. Kozhakhmetov, First Deputy Head of the Antiterrorist Center of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Issues of the current drug situation in CARICC member states and development of a unified methodology for assessing the smuggling of Afghan opiates along the “Northern” route planned by CARICC, a number of other issues related to the detection and elimination of clandestine drug laboratories for the production of synthetic drugs, as well as tackling legalization (laundering) of proceeds derived from illicit drug trafficking, were discussed at a meeting with K.V. Smurov.
During the meeting, K.V. Smurov noted that the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russian Federation supported the initiative of CARICC to obtain an observer status with the Eurasian Group to combat the legalization of proceeds of crime and the financing of terrorism, and has already sent a relevant document to the Center.
At a meeting of Lieutenant-General A. Sh. Shayakhmetov, Deputy Director of CARICC with Major-General K.O. Kozhakhmetov, First Deputy Head of the Antiterrorist Center of member-states of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the parties noted an increased level of cooperation in 2017 among the agencies and ways to further strengthen the partnership.

CARICC
http://www.caricc.org

On the 25th of May, an international round table was held on the theme, “The role of Parliaments in the legislative enforcement of cooperation and regional security in Central Asia”, in Astana, under the leadership of Mr. N.Z. Nigmatullin, Chairperson of the Majilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The event reflects the challenges of modern threats and challenges that are of a transboundary nature, as well as measures taken by the states of the Central Asian region in close cooperation with international partners to effectively counteract these phenomena.
In his speech, Nurlan Nigmatullin outlined the urgency of combating the risks of manifestations of crisis phenomena, such as religious extremism and terrorism, illicit drug trafficking and illegal migration. He also noted the significant contribution made by Kazakhstan to the establishment of the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center for Combating Drugs (CARICC). A positive evaluation of CARICC’s activities in the fight against transnational drug trafficking was articulated at this event.
In addition, representatives of the legislative bodies of Russia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, as well as international organizations and international experts took part in the discussion of round table topics organized by the CSTO Parliamentary Assembly and the Majilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan.
CARICC was represented at this event by Lieutenant-General A.Sh. Shayakhmetov, Deputy Director, who in his speech reported on the major activities and outcomes of CARICC’s efforts in tackling illicit drug trafficking in Central Asia.

CARICC
http://www.caricc.org