Organized Crime in General Since organized crime is a multi-dimensional phenomenon of a transnational nature, the OSCE has developed a wide network of co-operation with institutions being involved in antiorganized crime activities. In 2012, the TNTD/SPMU continued its efforts in supporting and assisting specialized organizations such as UNODC in their anti-organized crime work. The Unit supported the implementation of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC) and its three Protocols. UNTOC is the main international instrument in the fight against transnational organized crime, and the TNTD/SPMU’s Adviser on Organized Crime is a member of the UNTOC Steering Committee and the Working Group of Government Experts on Technical Assistance. During the seven years that the TNTD/SPMU has supported the ratification and implementation of the UNTOC, 18 OSCE participating States ratified the convention, bringing the total number of ratifying States among the participating States to 56. 9 Throughout 2012, the TNTD/SPMU represented the OSCE at the “UNTOC Conference of Parties Meetings” and at the “United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Conference”. On 16-17 January, the TNTD/SPMU participated in an international expert panel on the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC). The panel is tasked to review new draft legislation models to assist countries in enacting national legal statutes in compliance with UNTOC. The draft model laws are amended to incorporate the feedback provided by the expert panel and published by UNODC. On 24-27 April, the TNTD/SPMU participated in the “21st Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice” organized by UNODC in Vienna. During the session several areas of policing of relevance for the OSCE were discussed: in particular resolutions on migrants; money laundering; private security services; and the protection of human rights for migrant workers and their families. Over 800 people attended the 21st Session, representing 116 countries, and some 43 NGOs. On 9-10 May, upon request from the Turkish Armed Forces, the TNTD/SPMU gave a lecture on the OSCE’s activities in addressing Organized Crime at the “NATO/Partnership for Peace Training Centre Course” in Ankara. The lecture highlighted police-related activities in the OSCE area, and addressed security dilemmas emanating from modern organized crime networks and non-state violent actors. On 6-7 June, the TNTD/SPMU, in close co-operation with the OCEEA and UNODC organized the fifth regional workshop on “International Co-operation in Criminal Matters: Information Exchange in the Fight against Organized Crime and Terrorism” at the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre (CARICC) in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The workshop addressed co-operation on organized crime and criminal justice issues in Central Asia. This series of workshops contributes to mutual understanding of regional legislation, regulations, systems and structures. In 2012, the focus was on strengthening the existing information exchange mechanisms in response to organized crime and terrorism in the area. In the frame of some case studies, the workshop highlighted best local practices as well as challenges experienced in regional co-operation. Initiatives and recommendations for further action were discussed in the workshop and are detailed in the final report, circulated as SEC.GAL/158/12. As in the previous four workshops, participants represented law enforcement and judicial experts from Central Asia, Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. On 21-22 June, the TNTD/SPMU, in co-operation with Japan Tobacco International and Microsoft, organized a training course on “Illicit Trade in Cigarettes and Software Piracy” in Ohrid, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The training covered organized crime 9 26 For an update of the UNTOC ratification status see: www.unodc.org/unodc/en/treaties/CTOC/signatures.html