Afghan police learn strategies to fight drug trafficking during OSCE-facilitated course

DOMODEDOVO, Russia, 2 March 2010 - A group of 11 Afghan police officers will be trained on how to effectively combat drug trafficking during a two-week OSCE-organized course that started today.

The course, organized by the OSCE Strategic Police Matters Unit in co-operation with the Russian Interior Ministry's Academy, is held in Domodedovo outside Moscow, and follows two similar OSCE courses in 2007 and 2008.

Course participants will take part in practical exercises to learn how to plan and organize drug trafficking searches and investigations. They will examine the entire process of prosecuting drugs-related criminal cases, starting with the police investigation and ending in the courts.

"There is a serious problem with drugs in Afghanistan and the menace of drugs goes far beyond the country's borders," said Maj. Nezamuddin Nezam, the participants' team leader. "Drug trafficking fuels insurgency, hampers peace building and undermines the rule of law through violence and corruption in all countries along the trafficking routes."

Kevin Carty, Senior Police Adviser to the OSCE Secretary General, added: "The illegal trafficking of narcotics constitutes a major threat to international security and stability. The OSCE is happy to facilitate this training course for Afghan Officers at the Academy in Domodedovo as part of its ongoing support to Afghanistan."

The course, financed by voluntary donations by OSCE participating States, forms part of work that followed an OSCE decision on engagement with Afghanistan, adopted in 2007.

The OSCE Strategic Police Matters Unit works to enhance international co-operation in combating organized crime with a particular focus on illicit drug trafficking. It also assists the Afghan National Police in counter-narcotic training.