On November 20-21, 2012, in Baku, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the 10th meeting of the Working Sub-Group on Combating Drug Trafficking (WGSDT) was hold under Azerbaijan’s chairmanship. Delegations of the GUAM member states, representatives of the UNODC, the Embassy of the USA in Ukraine and the Southeast European Law Enforcement Center (SELEC) participated in the meeting.
The delegations exchanged information on the development of national legislation, the operational situation and measures taken by GUAM member states in terms of counteracting the illegal circulation of narcotics, psychotropic substances and their precursors.
Issues of interaction between GUAM and UNODC in the course of implementation of the global Afghan Opiate Trade Project (AOTP) were examined.
The Working Sub-Group discussed the practice of the joint measures “Narcostop” and made corrections in its organization and conducting. The procedure of preparation of Expert Conclusions on the crime situation and tendencies in terms of illegal drug trafficking within the GUAM member states was agreed.
The experience of anti-narcotic activities within SELEC was presented, possible forms of interaction between two organizations were discussed. The Working Sub-Group also supported the development of cooperation with the Counter Narcotics Police of Afghanistan and the Turkish National Police.
The Working Sub-Group examined problems of defining new psychoactive substances, its including in national lists of controlled substances, as well as exercising relevant information exchange.
A special attention was paid to the National information and analytical centers’ (NIACs) infrastructure extension and preparation for implementation of the project, which is supported by the USA.
The delegations also discussed issues of interconnection between illegal drug trafficking crimes and money laundering.
The outcomes of the meeting were reflected in the resultant Protocol. The next meeting of the Working Sub-Group is scheduled to take place in April 2013 in Baku.
