Afghan customs officers complete OSCE-supported training in Kyrgyzstan

The OSCE supported an advanced law enforcement training course for 15 Afghan customs officers from 22 March to 3 April 2014, which took place at the Kyrgyz Customs Centre in Leninskoe village, near Bishkek.

This course was organised in co-operation with the Kyrgyzstan’s State Customs Service and Afghan Customs Department and covered topics on drug trafficking routes, as well as trends and identification of drug abuse. The participants also learnt about intelligence gathering techniques and report writing, and attended practical sessions on vehicle search and luggage examination.

“OSCE-supported training courses play a crucial role in shaping a sustainable system of effective customs operations in both Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan,” said Yulia Minaeva, Head of the Economic and Environmental Dimension section at the OSCE Centre in Bishkek.
“Within this course Afghan officers had a chance not only to learn from professional instructors but also share their views and experience with colleagues from Kyrgyzstan, which helps to establish mutual trust and better understanding between the two countries’ customs agencies,” she added.

The Training Centre in Leninskoe village was established in November 2013 with the support from the OSCE Centre in Bishkek as part of its efforts to build the capacity of Kyrgyz and Afghan customs. By the end of this year, some 360 Customs officers from Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan will have been trained at this facility.