OSCE trains customs officers in Kyrgyzstan on illicit drug trafficking, cybercrime and legalization of criminal proceeds

The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek organized a five-day training seminar for 20 customs officers from all regions of Kyrgyzstan introducing them to effective ways of tracking illicit drug trafficking, cybercrime, and legalization of criminal proceeds. The event was held at the Regional Training Centre of the World Customs Organization in Kyrgyzstan and concluded on 14 June 2019 in Bishkek.

With the aim to facilitate the implementation of the law “On Countering the Financing of Terrorist Activities and the Legalization (Laundering) of Criminal Incomes” adopted in August 2018, the Programme Office undertook the initiative to assist the State Customs Service (SCS), which bears certain obligations under the new law.

The seminar aims to increase the capacities of customs officers through learning about cutting-edge systems of investigation and prevention of illicit transactions and cybercrime, and legalization of criminal proceeds, which will improve their co-ordination with other law enforcement bodies.

The training is the first of five training courses planned by the Programme Office for 2019. The future workshops will involve customs officers in the cities of Batken, Jalal-Abad and Osh.

The OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek has been assisting the State Customs Service in strengthening its capacity to facilitate cross-border trade, tackle trafficking of illicit goods, and modernize technological capacity since 2009. As a result of this long-term partnership, the SCS Training Centre was granted the status of a regional centre in 2018 by the World Customs Organization, which expanded its outreach internationally and upgraded the quality of its training programmes.