Case Explained: Strengthening Regional Cooperation to Combat Transnational Organized Crime – Legal Perspective

Ashgabat, 11-12 September 2025

International cooperation in criminal matters is a cornerstone in the fight against organized and serious crimes. It gives practitioners the means to pursue investigations across borders, bring offenders to justice, and recover illicit assets. The United Nations Conventions against Transnational Organized Crime and against Corruption place this cooperation at their very core, underscoring that no State can address these threats alone. Yet, despite broad consensus on its importance, practitioners continue to face complex challenges in making such cooperation timely, effective, and practical.

Diverse legal systems, outdated laws, difficulties in obtaining information on the legal and procedural requirements, language barriers, and different or sometimes incompatible means of communication, all create obstacles to facilitating international cooperation in criminal matters. Criminal groups target countries with gaps in criminal justice responses in order to shield themselves from investigation and prosecution.

In a confirming step towards addressing these gaps, members of the Judicial Cooperation Network for Central Asia and Southern Caucasus (CASC Network) gathered in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, for the Annual Plenary Meeting. The event brought together over 50 representatives from Central Asia and Southern Caucasus, including member countries’ Central Authorities, senior prosecutors, and international partners such as Interpol, Eurojust, the European Judicial Network (EJN), SEAJust, SELEC, and CARICC.

The plenary discussions focused  on enhancing international cooperation in criminal matters with the goal to tackle the evolving challenges posed by cybercrime and human trafficking, among others.

UNODC presented innovative solutions to aid in the fight against crime, showcasing tools like the MLA Request Writing Tool, the Electronic Evidence Hub, and advanced digital case management systems. These tools aim to support efficient communication and collaboration among regional and international counterparts.

Launched in 2014, the CASC Network is an informal but highly effective mechanism designed to improve inter-regional judicial cooperation. Over the years, it has facilitated hundreds of cross-border crime cases involving MLA, extradition, and asset recovery.

This initiative, funded by the United States and implemented by UNODC, supports timely processing of requests, offers technical assistance on real-life cases, and strengthens judicial links across member countries.

Ms. Elizabeth Rood, the U.S. Ambassador to Turkmenistan, noted the success of the CASC Network, emphasizing that the United States’ investment in the CASC “reflects our belief in the network’s objectives: fostering inter-regional judicial cooperation to combat transnational organized and serious crime.” Ms. Rood is confident that this plenary meeting is an invaluable opportunity to build on the success of the CASC Network. 

Mr. Oliver Stolpe, UNODC Regional Representative, noted the increasing global attention on Central Asia and Southern Caucasus. Highlighting new opportunities for cooperation, he stated, “CASC provides a ready-made, trusted platform to engage constructively with your institutions.”

As the plenary meeting concluded, participants set common goals for the next phase of CASC Networks’ evolution. UNODC reaffirmed its dedication to supporting the Network, ensuring continued success in combating transnational organized crime across the region.

The CASC Network remains an  important actor in the regional judicial cooperation, paving the way for a safer, more connected future. UNODC is proud of its contribution to making this judicial cooperation network a reality and relies on the continued engagement of the network members and sustained funding from the donors.