OSCE trains Mongolian law enforcement officers on detecting forged travel documents

ULAANBAATAR, 7 March 2016 – A one-week advanced training course for 35 Mongolian law enforcement officers aimed at increasing their practical abilities to detect forged travel documents started today in Ulaanbaatar. The course is organized by the OSCE Transnational Threats Department, at the request of the Mongolian authorities.

The training course aims to increase the operational awareness of Mongolian law enforcement officers by disseminating knowledge on travel document security, and focuses on the passport manufacturing process, identity document security features, as well as the latest trends in counterfeiting methods and the means of identifying them. 

“Travel documents are desirable tools for criminals and terrorist groups to facilitate trafficking, financial fraud, espionage, people smuggling or other crimes,” said Simon Deignan from the OSCE Transnational Threats Department. “Without the ability to travel freely that a travel document allows, terrorists and criminals can be impeded, thereby reducing their reach and impact.”

A key focus of the interactive, practical sessions will be on original, forged and false documents, and on understanding and using forensic equipment to identify document forgery.

This training course comes at a crucial time ahead of the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit, which will be held in Mongolia in July, and requires enhanced security measures.

Similar courses have been organized in more than 25 OSCE participating States by the OSCE Secretariat's Transnational Threats Department/Action against Terrorism Unit (TNTD/ATU), in co-operation with document experts from Austria’s  Interior Ministry.