RILO AP has participated in Workshop on Combating Illicit Cross-border Trafficking in Cultural Property for OSCE Asian Partners for Cooperation Region held from 26 to 30 August 2019, Ulaanbaartar, Mongolia with 19 organizations including OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe), WCO, INTERPOL, UNODC, ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), Robert Wittman Inc. (private company for security of art in U.S.A. founded by ex-FBI investigator), I’Arma dei Carabinieri (Italian military police), Thailand Customs, Department of Canadian Heritage, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, British School in Rome, Korean Cultural Heritage Administration, Mongolian administrations (Customs, Police, Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Sports, Academy and Science Institute, Independent Authority against Corruption, National Center for Cultural Heritage and Ministry of Foreign Affairs). The Workshop aims to raise awareness regarding illicit trafficking in cultural property and its impact on security and stability in Mongolia and the Asian Partners for Cooperation Region.

The Workshop started with the opening remarks by Mr. Ganbayar Ganbold, Vice Minister of Education, Culture, Science and Sports of Mongolia. Cultural property researchers introduced the current status and issues of cultural property protection, and law enforcement experts presented the results and issues of enforcement on illicit transaction in cultural property. All participants discussed actively to overcome those issues in each session. On the final day, participants proposed countermeasures against illicit transactions of cultural property such as the training for law enforcement officials on the field, making a guideline with pictures and description of cultural properties to help law enforcement officials to judge whether it is cultural property or not and strengthening cooperation between related organizations.

The Workshop gave opportunity to recognize that customs should address with greater efforts to enforcement against illicit trafficking of cultural property from the point of counter terrorism and crime organization.