On 6-8 May, the EU-funded Border Management Programme in Central Asia (BOMCA 10) organised a capacity-building workshop in Ashgabat on the use of Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) in the detection and investigation of cross-border crimes.

The training brought together representatives of the operational and investigative units responsible for tackling transnational crimes from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of National Security, State Frontier Service, State Customs Service, State Migration Service, and the General Prosecutor’s Office of Turkmenistan. Led by BOMCA 10 experts from Lithuania’s Border Guard and Customs criminal services, the workshop combined theoretical sessions with practical exercises. Participants explored the application of OSINT in criminal investigations, examined digital tools for data analysis and practised techniques to track cryptocurrency transactions and financial flows linked to organised crime. With a focus on emerging technological solutions, participants also explored how they can use mobile devices and social media in intelligence gathering, as well as detecting money laundering schemes through NFTs.

The three-day training was conducted under BOMCA 10’s Component 2, “Improvement of Detection Capacities” aimed at strengthening the investigative capacities of law enforcement agencies and promoting evidence-based investigations.