ALMATY -- A five-day Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)-supported train-the-trainer course on the detection of forged travel documents and identification techniques for 21 Kazakh Border Service (GPS) officers concluded in Almaty Friday (April 26), said the OSCE in a statement. The course taught them how to detect forged travel documents, such as those allowing terrorists to cross borders and to escape arrest at check-points.
Austrian Federal Interior Ministry specialists developed a tailored programme for National Security Committee (KNB) GPS officers. The Kazakhs learned about "paper production processes, security features introduced into paper, security inks and different printing technologies", said the OSCE. The instructors presented 200 real and forged travel documents and discussed how to identify the documents' security features.
In practical training, the Kazakh officers worked with banknotes from more than dozen countries. Trainers let them use "illuminated magnifiers, USB-digital microscopes and a Docubox device" to develop their skills.
Besides learning the best practices for verifying documents, the Kazakh participants, who will be instructors someday, received guidance on teaching methods. They will be taking two more one-week-long courses to complete their training.
A number of bodies made the training possible: the OSCE Programme Office in Nur-Sultan organised it in co-operation with the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Programme of the US Embassy in Nur-Sultan, Central Asian Regional Information and Co-ordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and Their Precursors (CARICC) and the KNB GPS. The OSCE Trans-National Threats Department's Travel Document Security Programme supported the course.
