UNODC’s ongoing support for Interagency Mobile Teams (IMTs) in Uzbekistan remains steadfast, with a recent focus on enhancing capabilities in countering organized crime and drug trafficking through parallel financial investigations and interdiction of illicit financial flows.
A specialized training on parallel financial investigations and interdiction of illicit financial flows related to organized crime and drug trafficking took place from May 14 to 16, 2024, at the Law Enforcement Academy of the Republic of Uzbekistan involving 29 law enforcement officers.
These officers, tasked with investigating financial crimes within departments targeting illicit drug trafficking and organized crime, received tailored instruction to equip them with the necessary tools and knowledge for combating criminal activities and conducting investigations effectively.
Uygun Nigmatjanov, Deputy Head of the Law Enforcement Academy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, commended the trainers’ expertise and teaching methodologies, expressing confidence in the training’s potential to enhance national law enforcement’s operational effectiveness in alignment with international standards.
Nathaniel Rettenmayer, Director of the Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) at the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent, emphasized the growing importance of integrating technology to combat illicit profits in Uzbekistan and across Central Asian countries. “I am convinced that over three days of training, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the methods of countering money laundering and skills in money flow crackdown in countering the legalization of criminal proceeds,” he said.
Yusuf Kurbonov, UNODC International Programme Coordinator, highlighted the positive impact of training initiatives on law enforcement officers’ ability to address drug trafficking. “Through efficient collaboration, IMTs conducted 1,600 joint operations in 2023, resulting in the seizure of 1,068 tons of drugs and substances,” he noted.
Mr. Kurbonov also underscored the significance of Uzbekistan’s National Strategy on Addressing Drug Addiction and Drug-Related Crime for 2024 - 2028, emphasizing its comprehensive measures to combat these issues. UNODC’s collaboration within the framework of this strategy and the IMT project activities is poised to yield beneficial outcomes in the fight against drug trafficking and crime in the country.
The sessions combined with practical exercises, covered a range of topics, including international and national financial investigation standards, trends in laundering criminal proceeds from drug trafficking, the role of financial intelligence units, open-source intelligence (OSINT) in financial investigations into cases involving the laundering of the proceeds of crime from drug trafficking, and the use of technologies like TOR Browser, Darknet Markets, Hydra, LegalRC, Wayaway and cryptocurrencies in illicit activities. Emphasis was also placed on security measures in cases involving proceeds from drug trafficking, legalization typologies of proceeds of crime derived from drug trafficking, mutual legal assistance and potential of informal networks (ARIN, CARIN), and respecting human rights in parallel financial investigations.
This training initiative falls within Phase III of the UNODC project in Uzbekistan “Countering illicit drug trafficking through strengthened coordination and enhanced capacity of Interagency Mobile Teams”. Funding for the project is provided by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).
For further information, please contact:
Nurangez Abdulhamidova
Communications and External Relations Specialist
UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia
Email: nurangez.abdulhamidova[at]un.org
