The UNODC Border Management Branch (BMB) was formed in April 2022 and is committed to offering targeted technical assistance to Member States in the field of border management along the full criminal justice chain. The primary objective is to support Member States to more effectively and sustainably combat organized crime groups involved in various illicit activities by enhancing border control and criminal justice responses, as well as ensuring coherence of UNODC’s approach on environmental and maritime crime.
Through the BMB, UNODC consolidates its expertise in enhancing border security at national, regional, and international levels, offering a structured, chain-of-custody based approach that prioritizes early detection and prevention, reinforces interception efforts to maximize seizures, and strengthens post-seizure investigations and legal cooperation. Drawing on an extensive portfolio of knowledge products, tools, and technical assistance activities, BMB supports Member States in bolstering national capacities to dismantle criminal networks, disrupt illicit flows along major trade routes, and foster long-term resilience through enhanced regional and international cooperation.
The BMB oversees four global programmes:
