The project under implementation by UNDP Kosovo is supporting the Kosovo Police in strengthening their capacities to better detect and increasingly confiscate firearms, components, and ammunition, and improve the quality of investigations. The emphasis is on investigations against organized crime and criminal groups dealing with international arms trafficking using Kosovo as a transit route for illicit arms trafficking into the Western European countries. The project is implemented in line with the Small Arms Light Weapons and Explosives control strategy and action plan, as well as the Countering Organized Crime strategy, Intelligence Led Policing strategy, and Community Policing Strategy and Action Plan.

Specifically, the project aims to identify the gaps within the department of investigations regarding the investigation of illicit arms trafficking, as well as procure advanced equipment to detect and confiscate SALW, ammunition, and their components and provide specialized capacity development for police investigators. The project will thus contribute to higher detection rates during traffic controls and house searches; increased number of leads during special investigative measures; higher seizure of weapons; and increased public safety.

The project contributes to Roadmap Goals 2, 3, 5 and key performance indicators 3, 4, 8, 10, 14 of the Roadmap for a sustainable solution to the illegal possession, misuse and trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons and their ammunition in the Western Balkans.

Budget: US$660,000

Implementing period: February 2020 – December 2021

Results achieved as of 31 March 2021:

• 201 police officers from 8 Regional Police Directorates trained on basic firearm investigations.
• Kosovo Police Investigation Department equipped with IT hardware for advancing the productivity and efficiency of police investigations on illicit arms trafficking and SALW control.
• Interactive, visual data mining and link analysis software, MALTEGO XL, and related hardware handed over to the Kosovo Police Investigation Department to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the investigation work in the field of SALW, ammunition, and explosives.
• Kosovo Police equipped with a Dashboard/TABLEAU data visualization platform to analyze firearm-related data and produce analytical reports and comparisons that facilitate investigations.

The project under implementation by UNDP Kosovo* and UNDP North Macedonia aims to improve the cross-border cooperation between Kosovo and North Macedonia and lay the basis for an integrated institutional approach in combating illicit arms trafficking in the two jurisdictions through a series of closely coordinated activities. These include actions such as joint trainings and sharing of experience and intelligence, joint investigation teams (JIT), and joint actions in combating converted weapons trafficking.

Project results will directly enhance the cross-border and inter-institutional collaboration in the field of SALW from the early stage of investigations and improve the capacities of law-enforcement institutions to deal with trans-national arms trafficking threats. It will thus improve the quality of investigations and secure solid and reliable information flow and increase the number of conviction cases in the court. This will bring the two jurisdictions closer to best European practices in the field SALW control.

The project contributes to Roadmap Goals 3, 4, 5 and key performance indicators 4, 5, 9, 10, 14 of the Roadmap for a sustainable solution to the illegal possession, misuse and trafficking of Small Arms and Light Weapons and their ammunition in the Western Balkans.

Budget: U$522,067

Implementing period: March 2021 – May 2022