EMBASSY OF TAJIKISTAN TO AUSTRIA

UNODC

The UNODC was established in 1997 to assist member states to combat against illicit drugs, crime and terrorism. UNODC supports preventive measures against drug-use and offers information and analysis about drugs in general. The most important bodies of the UNODC are the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) which is central policy-making body, the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) deals with crime, economic crime, money laundering etc. and the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) which is an independent and quasi-judicial body responsible for implementation of UN drug conventions. Mr. Antonio Maria Costa from Italy is the Executive-Director of UNODC. UNODC in its present form is the product of a fusion of the U.N. Drug Control Program with the Center for International Crime Prevention, including the Terrorism Prevention Branch and Global Programs against money laundering, corruption, organized crime, and trafficking in person. UNODC is custodian of the three international counter-narcotics conventions, the 12 anti-terrorism conventions, the convention on transnational organized crime, and the corruption convention. (www.unodc.org)

On April 27, 1999 the Tajik Government and the UNODC signed the agreement to create Tajik Drug Control Agency under the President of Tajikistan. Announcing the agreement  at the opening of the Commission  on Crime  Prevention  and Criminal  Justice meeting  in Vienna, HE President Emomali Rahmon  stated that new agency will be under  his  direct  control. With technical  assistance  from the  UNODC,  the agency  has  documented  drug  trafficking  in Tajikistan  and Central Asia  as a whole. By President's decree the Drug Control Agency (DCA) was established on June 1, 1999. Up to moment Government of Tajikistan has been ratified majority of international antinarcotic and antiterrorist conventions and other legal binding documents.

The UNODC-trained and supported Mobile Deployment Team (MDT) of the Tajik Interior Ministry in 2008 made the biggest single drug seizure in the country's history. Some 560 kg of drugs were seized; mainly hashish, but also almost 30 kg of heroin. The MDT was established within the framework of a UNODC project to strengthen controls along the Tajik- Afghan border. The project aims to identify, investigate, interdict and prosecute those groups involved in illicit drug trafficking. The seizure took place during the search of a truck at a road checkpoint. The Mobile Deployment Team became operational in January 2008, having been fully equipped and trained by UNODC. In 2008, the MDT carried out a substantial number of operations, including joint operations with other law enforcement agencies. As a result of MDT activities, 16 persons were detained and more than 900 kg of drugs seized.

From the moment of National Drug Control Agency's establishment, DCA as a liaison in cooperation with UNODC is reporting quarterly to UNODC of its activity, drug seizure, combined operation with other Drug Agencies, international cooperation, drug destroying and etc. Since 1999 till present more than 20 projects of UN has been implemented in Tajikistan in the field of counternarcotic threat      

On May 30, 2009 HE President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon in his speech at 10^th Anniversary of DCA inauguration suggested to work out universal program of combatting against drug trafficking under the auspicious of UN, as well as to hold an international conference with participation of interested countries and international organization up to 2010. He proposed to declare 2011 an international year of combatting against illegal drug trafficking also.