United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Central America and the Caribbean

Prevention of Smuggling and Corruption in Guatemala

In close cooperation the British Embassy in Guatemala, the United Nations Office on Drugs and the National Port Commission held the seminar "Improving Security and Port Security."

At least 70 officials of the Tax Administration Superintendcy (SAT), the ports authority,  D General Direction of Immigration, National Civil Police, Ministry of Interior, Public Ministry and the private sector , among others, attended to this event.

The meeting provided a space to explore the dimensions of the problem of illegal trade, taking into account the impact on economy, society and individuals.

In addition to this, the participants had the opportunity to exchange their experiences with national experts from the public and private sector; British experts and specialists from UNODC; on a wide range of topics from the vulnerabilities of existing legal systems to the formulation and implementation of public policies and techniques to combat the scourge of smuggling and corruption.

This seminar is part of a regional initiative in which such activity was replicated in Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador.