Turkmenistan improves communications infrastructure to combat illicit trade

As the global economy has become increasingly interconnected, trade opportunities have spread across the globe. Shipping routes are the highways of international trade. However, this creates opportunities not only for governments and legitimate businesses, but also for transnational organized crime groups to transport everything from legal goods used for money laundering to illicit drugs and even materials for weapons of mass destruction. These actors benefit from the sheer size of global and regional trade because it makes effective oversight extremely difficult.

To address this challenge, the integration of modern technologies and improvements in customs infrastructure are needed. The State Customs Service of Turkmenistan is taking measures to improve transportation control, including by upgrading equipment, training personnel, and strengthening border infrastructure.

With financial support from the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), the Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS), and the governments of Japan and France, and the strategic operational partnership with the World Customs Organization (WCO), UNODC implements the Passenger and Cargo Border Team (PCBT)/UNODC-WCO Global Container Control Programme. The programme helps to improve risk management, supply chain security, and trade facilitation at seaports, airports, and land border crossings in Central Asia and Pakistan, including Turkmenistan, to prevent cross-border movement of illicit goods.

For example, on 16 July 2024, UNODC provided the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan (SCST) with 30 kilometres of fibre optic cable. The cable connects the Port Control Unit (PCU) at the Farap Avtoyollary customs post to broadband internet via the Lebap Regional Customs Department. This connection enables the use of the secure ContainerCOMM platform for full-fledged direct communication and data exchange with profiling units in other countries, improving the ability to detect and prevent high-risk shipments.

Mr. Gandym Jumayev, Head of the Information Technology Department of the State Customs Administration of Turkmenistan, noted that this assistance will significantly increase Turkmenistan’s capacity to combat smuggling and improve customs control in the country.

UNODC will continue to support the Government of Turkmenistan in strengthening the security of the passenger and trade supply chain to prevent the trade of illicit goods, reduce organised crime and terrorism, and support trade and passenger facilitation. ///UNODC ROCA, 4 September 2024