Translated with AI
On May 13, 2026, the regular meeting of heads of criminal units of the ministries of internal affairs of the CIS member states was held in Tashkent. The event, organized by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan under the coordination of the Bureau, focused on improving cooperation between law enforcement agencies in combating drug trafficking. This was reported by the CIS press service.
Delegations from the Ministries of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan participated in the meeting. The delegations were led by deputy ministers overseeing the relevant areas of activity.
Representatives of the Bureau for the Coordination of the Fight against Organized Crime and Other Dangerous Types of Crime in the Territory of the CIS Member States, as well as a representative of the CIS Council of Ministers of Internal Affairs to the CIS Executive Committee, also participated in the event.
The Director of the Belarusian Bureau of Combating Organized Crime, Police Lieutenant General Oleg Konovalov, delivered a report. He briefed the participants on the implementation of the decisions made at the previous meeting of the criminal bloc's leaders, which took place on June 13, 2025, in Astana.
Konovalov also discussed the Bureau's work on developing initiatives to combat drug trafficking, which were announced during the regular meeting of the CIS Council of Ministers of Internal Affairs, held on August 12, 2025, in St. Petersburg.
During the meeting, the delegations discussed new challenges and threats related to drug trafficking in the CIS member states. Particular attention was paid to the rise of so-called "pharmacy addiction" and measures to combat this phenomenon.
The meeting participants also exchanged views on combating drug trafficking through regional online marketplaces and other internet resources. The need to develop software and technical tools to improve the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies was also discussed.
In this regard, the meeting participants proposed finalizing the draft Action Plan for the Development of Cooperation between the Ministries of Internal Affairs of the CIS Member States in Combating the Use of Information and Communication Technologies for Illegal Drug Trafficking for 2027–2030.
The meeting also served as a platform for exchanging practical experience, including the interaction of law enforcement agencies with commercial entities, such as Internet providers and banks, in combating drug trafficking.
