On February 28, a ceremony was held to recognize the adoption of the counter narcotics strategy of the Kyrgyz Republic and to officially handover six all-terrain Toyota land cruisers along with crime scene equipment to the Kyrgyz Drug Control Service. The equipment and vehicles were provided through a United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime K-50 project.
In attendance were Vice Prime Minister Tokon Mamytov, U.S. Ambassador Pamela Spratlen, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Russian Federation Evgeny Teryokin, UNODC Country Director Alexander Fedulov, US Drug Enforcement Administration Country Attaché Patrick Apel and Russian Federal Drug Control Service Colonel Gregory Postitov.
By Kyrgyz government decree, the counter narcotics strategy was adopted on January 27, 2014. The strategy is an important state document which identifies the actions of the executive agencies who maintain counter narcotics responsibilities.
The vehicles and special equipment were made possible by the donations of the United States, Russia and Kazakhstan under the K-50 UNODC program which was started in 2011. The total budget of the three year project is $3.4 million dollars in which the United States has provided over $1.5 million dollars.
The primary components of the project include increasing professionalism through on-going training programs and providing technical equipment and support.
