OSCE Centre in Bishkek supports training for law enforcement agencies on combatting customs offences and money laundering
A five-day anti-money laundering training course for law enforcement officers was organized by the OSCE Centre in Bishkek and the State Financial Intelligence Service under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic from 29 June to 3 July 2015. The training course was supported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The training course, held at the State Financial Intelligence Service’s training centre in Bishkek, aimed at developing inter-agency co-operation between law-enforcement agencies involved in ensuring security on the borders, enhancing the exchange of information and best practices as well as familiarizing participants with international methods and strategies on dealing with customs offences.
“Only close co-operation between law enforcement agencies and the State Financial Intelligence Service can reduce financial support for organized crime, terrorist and extremist organizations,” said Bolot Sadykov, State Secretary of the State Financial Intelligence Service, in his opening remarks. “This inter-agency training seminar is being held for the first time and I hope it will have a positive effect on the fight against crime.”
Deputy Head of the OSCE Centre in Bishkek John MacGregor noted the significance of the inter-agency nature of the event. He stressed that the OSCE Centre in Bishkek should continue assisting the government of the Kyrgyz Republic in its efforts to meet its OSCE commitments.
Yusuf Kurbonov, UNODC International Project Co-ordinator, said: “We hope that the exchange of knowledge, experience and active discussion on topical issues during the seminar will enhance the competencies of participants and will improve inter-agency co-operation in countering customs offences, illicit drug trafficking, money laundering and organized crime.”
Experts of the Kyrgyz State Financial Intelligence Service, the OSCE Centre in Bishkek and the Kyrgyz State Customs Service trained some 30 law enforcement specialists from the State Customs Service, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Interior, the General Prosecutor’s office, the State Service on Combatting Economic Crimes, the Kyrgyz State Border Service, and the State Service for Drugs Control.