From March 30th to April 4th, 2025, an international practical seminar dedicated to the detection of weapons, ammunition, and explosives took place in Michalovce (Slovak Republic). The event was organized within the framework of the European Multidisciplinary Platform against Criminal Threats (EMPACT Firearms) initiative.

Representatives of the canine units of the Department for Specialized Training and Canine Services of the State Customs Service and the Kyiv Customs participated in the seminar on behalf of the State Customs Service of Ukraine.

Canine teams and instructors from law enforcement agencies of European Union member states and partner countries were also invited to participate in the training: the Slovak Republic, the Latvian Republic, the Portuguese Republic, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, England, the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Sweden, and the Kingdom of Spain.

The seminar program covered the analysis of methods of concealing weapons and explosive devices in vehicles, the practice of training canine handlers with service dogs in conditions close to real-life scenarios, and conducting joint training with Slovak law enforcement agencies on detecting possible cases of the movement of weapons and explosives across the Ukrainian-Slovak border.

The acquired knowledge and experience will be integrated into the training programs for officials of the State Customs Service of Ukraine.

This event was made possible with the financial support of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) within the framework of the joint project “Strengthening the capacity of state authorities of Ukraine in preventing and combating the illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons (SALW), ammunition and explosives in all its aspects,” which underscores the importance of international cooperation in strengthening border security.