DUSHANBE, November 16, 2012, Asia-Plus – A five-day training course on cross-border interdiction for 25 Afghan, Kyrgyz and Tajik border and customs officers concluded at the OSCE Border Management Staff College in Dushanbe on November 15.
According to the OSCE Office in Tajikistan, the course aimed to reinforce techniques and methodologies relating to import and export operations, incident command structure, anti–terrorism, weapons of mass effect, admission processes, passenger and commercial vehicle concealment methods, contraband discovery, passenger and baggage processing, pedestrian enforcement, document analysis, inspection techniques, officer safety, border guards operations and the role of investigations in enforcement.
Julia Klaus, the Director of the OSCE Border Management Staff College, said: “To tackle multiple border-related threats of an increasingly transnational nature this training aimed to further develop specific skills and knowledge required for carrying out effective inspection, detection, cargo and passenger processing, and contraband seizure.”
“The participants spoke openly about the challenges their countries face, and shared and discussed methods to respond to them,” she added.
The majority of the training comprised practical exercises, including search of vehicles. Contraband detection kit was used and discussed in these exercises.
“The goal of the course was to provide the participants with additional resources and skills aimed at improving their overall professional performance. It was accomplished by creating interactive learning, initiating discussions and sharing ideas,” said Tiberiu Traistaru, the Customs and Border Protection Agency Officer, Champlain, New York.
The course was co-organized by the US Government Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) Program and conducted by the officers of the US Customs and Border Protection Agency.
This is the fourth in series of five training programs on regional cross-border, and international border interdiction organized by the OSCE BMSC in cooperation with the US Government.
