The OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department – Border Security and Management Unit (TNTD/BSMU) held a training course on the detection of forged documents and impostors in Ulaanbaatar in December 2019. The event was organized in co-operation with the University of Internal Affairs of Mongolia and conducted by document experts from the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior.

Impostors represent one of the main current challenges in the field of identity fraud. The training aimed at supporting Mongolia in its efforts to decrease the number of criminals crossing its borders under a fake identity, thereby contributing to wider efforts to combat transnational threats in compliance with OSCE commitments and international standards.

Twenty-five experienced representatives of National Police, the General Authority for Border Protection, the National Institute for Forensic Science, Customs General Administration and Immigration, and teachers of the University of Internal Affairs participated in the training.

The event had a strong interactive component, which included practical exercises on recognizing an imposter, hands-on work on original and forged documents, as well as how to use forensic equipment to identify forged documents.

Twenty-five high-quality hand-held magnifiers used during the course were donated by TNTD/BSMU to the participants who interact and screen travellers as part of their daily duties.