The Law Enforcement Academy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in cooperation with the Investigation Department under the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, conducted a seminar aimed at improving mechanisms for identifying and recovering criminal assets in investigative practice.

The seminar was conducted by Deputy Head of the Academy U.U. Nigmadjanov and Academy staff members A.A. Akbutaev and Sh.G. Khomidov. The event was attended by employees of the Investigation Department, as well as, online, employees of investigation departments, divisions, units and groups in the regions. The number of participants exceeded 1,000.

The sessions addressed issues of identifying funds and other property obtained as a result of crime at the initial stage, tracing their movement, seizure and confiscation, as well as strengthening international cooperation on the recovery of assets located in foreign jurisdictions. Particular attention was paid to conducting parallel financial investigations.

Based on the requirements of FATF standards and other international instruments, opportunities for official and informal cooperation with the Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network for West and Central Asia (ARIN-WCA), other asset recovery networks, Interpol, financial intelligence units, and foreign competent authorities were discussed in detail with the aim of promptly identifying criminal assets abroad.

In particular, an algorithm was considered that provides for the prompt exchange of preliminary information on foreign bank accounts, companies, real estate and other assets, the transmission of information on an initiative basis where necessary, and subsequently reinforcing the information obtained with formal requests for mutual legal assistance.

The participants discussed issues of organising international cooperation in a results-oriented manner, recording the results achieved for each foreign request and information transmitted on an initiative basis, strengthening interagency coordination, as well as improving prompt measures aimed at ensuring the preservation of criminal assets and their recovery.

The event contributed to strengthening investigators’ professional skills in the field of financial investigations and asset recovery, effectively using international cooperation mechanisms, and further developing national practice in recovering proceeds of crime in the interests of the state and victims.