Samarkand, 29 June 2018 - The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Regional Office for Central Asia (UNODC ROCA) completed a five-day training seminar entitled "Organization of Profiling at Border Crossing Points for Countering Transnational Organized Crime" in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Twenty five mid-level border officers serving at border crossing points of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan got familiarized with the profiling techniques utilized for identifying potential criminals, including drug traffickers and terrorists.
The seminar was delivered by experts of the Border Guards Academy of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan, Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center (CARICC) and of the Association of Psychologists and Behavioral Therapists of Kazakhstan.
Experts focused on the identification of elements of risk profiles, criminal mentality, psychological profiling, psychological methods used by inspection officers to identify criminals and smugglers, and lie detection techniques using the verbal and non-verbal behavioral signs exhibited by a suspected person.
Experts gave special emphasis on specific topics, such as, risk profiling of drug traffickers, preparation of analytical information with risk profile at specific routes, as well as interviewing and interrogation techniques, rapport building, conflict resolution, breaking psychological barriers and methods of obtaining information from suspects. A separate module was dedicated to neuro-linguistic programming as a possible technique to be utilized in the law enforcement setting for effective interviewing and interrogation.
The course was followed by a practical exercise at the "Jartepo" border crossing point on the Uzbek-Tajik border, where the trainees had the opportunity to conduct a profiling among the pedestrians crossing the border.
"Today, when the borders are becoming more and more open between our countries, it is imperative that we, the border guards, stand ready to counter the threats of transnational organized crime and stay abreast of latest developments in the profiling techniques" - said Mr. Yakushkin, the officer of the State Border Protection Committee under the State Security Service of Uzbekistan.
The regional seminar provided the border guards with practical skills necessary for their day-to-day work and served as a useful platform for networking with regional counterparts.
The event was organized by the border cooperation component of the Sub-Programme 1 of the UNODC Programme for Central Asia jointly with the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) of the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan.
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For more information
Please, contact Ms. Layli Mutalova, National Project Coordinator
Tel.: (+998)-71-120-80-50
E-mail: layli.mutalova[at]un.org
