training for Central Asia . TASHKENT, Uzbekistan – An INTERPOL training course targeting human trafficking and migrant smuggling across Central Asia
has concluded in the Uzbek capital.
The five-day (30 April – 4 May) event brought together law enforcement experts from 14 Central Asian countries to learn the latest investigative skills required to coordinate transnational responses to the region’s trafficking and smuggling challenge.
With illegal migration into Central Asia becoming an increasingly serious security threat in the region, improving the exchange of police information and boosting the use of tailored INTERPOL capabilities was central to the training programme.
The course also demonstrated how open source information and mobile forensics can help strengthen traditional investigation techniques.
A powerful network
As part of steps to boost regional police cooperation, the event also served to broaden ISON, INTERPOL’s Specialized Operational Network against People Smuggling which is made up of 145 experts from 111 source, transit, and destination countries. ISON includes experts, smuggling
investigators, immigration services, specialized asylum seeker officers, border officials and customs officers.
Environmental scan
With a view to producing country-specific and regional reports on people smuggling and human trafficking in Central Asia, INTERPOL is currently conducting an environmental scan in the region.
As part of this scanning process, the training course helped improve working relationships with law enforcement in targeted countries and to establish stronger points of contact in each country.
Sustainability and outreach
Managed by INTERPOL’s Vulnerable Communities unit, the training was organized as part of the INTERPOL Foundation’s Vulnerable Communities Project aimed at boosting law enforcement capacity, delivering specialized training, nurturing interagency collaboration and organizing regional operational exercises.
Participating countries included Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, India, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
Credit : https://www.interpol.int/