27 April 2012
UNODC and the Stockholm International Peace and Research Institute (SIPRI) co-organized a side event on the development of specialized tools to counter illicit trafficking during the twenty-first session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. The event was opened by Pierre Lapaque, Chief of the Implemetnation Support Section of the Organized Crime and Illicit Trafficking branch of UNODC. Ms. Simonetta Grassi (UNODC) presented the technical assistance tools developed by UNODC to support Member States' efforts to adhere to and implement the Ogranized Crime Convention and the Firearms Protocol. Reference was made during her presentation to the Model Law against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, the Technical Guide for the Implementation of the Firearms Protocol, the Omnibus Survey Software, and the most recent tool, currently under development, which is a Comprehensive Training Curriculum on Firearms Control.
Mr. Hugh Griffiths (SIPRI) gave a presentation on the challenges and opportunities for countering firearms trafficking by air. Mr. Griffiths provided some facts and data on the incidence of firearms traffic by air, and described some of the most common features and characteristics of such traffic, including its challenges, as well as the existing opportunities that were provided by modern technology and proactive intelligence techniques, to detect it. During his presentation, Mr. Griffiths provided some concrete examples of various detection and risk management analysis techniques. He concluded his presentation with a description of the functions of the Firearms Smuggling Risk Assessment Software, which was developed as part of EU Council Decision on arms trafficking via air.
The presentations were followed by a very inter-active question and answers session.
The side event was chaired by Mr. Pierre Lapaque, Chief, Implementation Support Section, (UNODC).