The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has donated specialized equipment for detecting narcotics and precursors to the Customs Administration of Montenegro.
The Customs Administration announced that the donation was presented with the aim of strengthening the capacities of customs and police administrations of countries in the Southeast European region.
The donated equipment, they said, includes a handheld device for preliminary identification of drugs and precursors using various available methods, and is primarily aimed at further strengthening the capacities of the interagency unit operating at Podgorica International Airport.
"On behalf of UNODC, the equipment was presented by the Regional Coordinator of the Passenger and Goods Control Program, Batir Geldijev, and the Program Coordinator, Alen Gagula, and the donation was accepted by representatives of the Customs Administration, Aleksandar Savković and Milica Arsović," the statement said.
Geldiev emphasized that strong cooperation and continuous support to the Customs Administration will continue, especially in terms of strengthening capacities, improving the control function, as well as further developing inter-institutional and regional cooperation in the fight against drug smuggling and abuse.
The statement states that the efficient and safe use of handheld devices was aimed at improving activities to combat the flow of illegal narcotics across the borders of Montenegro, and the region of Southeast Europe.
The Customs Administration said that the donation of specialized equipment was implemented through the EU-UNODC project "Promoting the Rule of Law and Good Governance through Targeted Border Control Measures at Ports and Airports in South-Eastern Europe (2024-2027) - Phase II", in close cooperation with the UNODC Regional Office for South-Eastern Europe and within the approved framework of the Regional Programme for South-Eastern Europe 2024-2029.
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