Albanian border police strengthen skills in detection of identity and document fraud through OSCE-supported training course

Albanian border police officers enhanced their skills and knowledge in detecting document and identity fraud at border crossing points through a five-day, hands-on training course jointly organized by the OSCE’s Border Security and Management Unit, the OSCE Presence in Albania and the Austrian Ministry of Interior from 27 September to 1 October 2021. The aim of the course was to fill knowledge gaps and help border control officers address the growing volume of diverse identity documents in circulation and related risks of forgery.

The participants comprised 15 front-line officers of the Albanian border police officer who were trained by experts of the Austrian Federal Ministry of Interior. In addition to enhancing their skills and knowledge, they explored the latest trends and counterfeiting techniques through interactive sessions that included real-life examples and cases, examining real counterfeit documents, studying printing techniques, as well as a practical module on facial comparison methods. They also learned how to use the 15 hand-held mobile devices donated by the OSCE for better performing document checks as part of their daily duties.

The training course was provided by the Austrian Ministry of Interior (BMI) and has also been adopted by the European Union’s European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) in a bid to raise and harmonize the levels of expertise in this field across the European Union. It is also part of a series of OSCE activities launched in 2015, which are designed to strengthen the detection of forged travel documents and imposters in different countries.