2004 Press Releases

Ambassador Jacobson with organizers, trainers and participants of the seminar. (Full size image)

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Conducts Training for Turkmen Law Enforcement Officials

Feb. 23, 2004

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted a two-week advanced training program for Government of Turkmenistan law enforcement officials in Ashgabat from February 9-20, 2004. Four DEA specialists came to Ashgabat as instructors for this training to share their expertise and experiences in drug interdiction, intelligence gathering, financial investigations, operational planning and other areas with their Turkmen counterparts. A total of thirty-five participants attended the seminar, representing the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Prosecutor General's Office, the Ministry of National Security, the State Border Service, and the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan.

In her remarks at the opening ceremony, U.S. Ambassador to Turkmenistan Tracey Ann Jacobson congratulated Turkmen law enforcement officials on their selection and participation at the seminar and thanked the Government of Turkmenistan for its cooperation in this important area. "The DEA training has made a significant contribution in our efforts to halt the flow of drugs across the world. This team represents a critical element in the world's efforts against narcotic trafficking," said the Ambassador.

Held in Turkmenistan for the second time in the last two years, the DEA training seminar was an example of meaningful cooperation between the Governments of the United States and Turkmenistan in the area of law enforcement liaison and training, and will help further improve the capability of Turkmen law enforcement agencies in their efforts against narcotics trafficking and organized crime.

The DEA plays a major role in providing training and assistance to countries across the globe in their battle against the international drug trade. The Administration has conducted training programs in over ninety countries and has trained thousands of law enforcement personnel.