Customs officials from Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan met in Tashkent for the 11th annual high-level interregional meeting under the Passenger and Cargo Control Program.

According to the Customs Service under the Government of Tajikistan, the meeting brought together senior customs officials to review the program’s implementation and discuss priorities for future cooperation.

Tajikistan was represented by Azim Tursunzoda, first deputy head of the Customs Service under the Government of Tajikistan.

Participants reviewed the program’s results and discussed measures to strengthen cooperation in combating transnational organized crime. The talks also focused on sharing best practices, identifying strategic customs policy priorities, improving information exchange, enhancing cooperation through national target analysis centers and coordinating joint operations.

A separate session organized by the World Customs Organization (WCO) examined the organization’s role in supporting cooperation among Passenger and Cargo Control Program partners and the broader global customs community. Participants also discussed expanding the use of WCO tools and platforms for analytical information sharing, operational coordination, capacity building and participation in international law enforcement operations.

The meeting concluded with a visit to Uzbekistan’s Customs Committee, where delegates toured the Central Customs Laboratory, the Customs Processing Center and the National Target Analysis Center. Officials said the visit highlighted Uzbekistan’s efforts to modernize customs procedures and strengthen its risk management capabilities.