File is not found

Strengthening of airport interdiction operations in the Dominican Republic in the framework of the EU funded AIRCOP Project

On November 23, 2016, the Monitoring and Steering Committee of the Airport Communication Project (AIRCOP) in the Dominican Republic convened at the Headquarters of the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) in Santo Domingo. Led by the Ministry of Defense and with the participation of local law enforcement agencies involved in the project, the meeting served to discuss relevant aspects regarding the implementation of AIRCOP at Las Americas International Airport in Santo Domingo and Punta Cana International Airport.

The UNODC AIRCOP Project Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean, Sergio Naranjo, commended the outstanding results of the Joint Airport Interdiction Task Forces in Santo Domingo and Punta Cana, whose members represent the following institutions: the Specialized Body in Airport Security and Civil Aviation (CESAC), the Direction of State Intelligence of the Secretary of Defense (J-2), the National Investigation Department (DNI), the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD), the Department of Customs (DGA), the Immigration Department (DGM), the Public Ministry and the National Central Bureau (NCB) of Interpol in the Dominican Republic. To this date, and with only a year and three months of operational work, the JAITFs of Santo Domingo and Punta Cana have seized 227 kg of cocaine, 11 kg of heroin, 1.1 kg of cannabis and more than US$ 763,000.

In order to further strengthen the JAITF operations, it was agreed upon request of the DNCD and by unanimous decision, to transfer the coordination of the JAITFs to the DNCD, which is the agency in charge of coordinating efforts to reduce drug trafficking and related criminal activity jointly with other intelligence agencies at a national and international level. Currently, the Dominican Republic is one of 26 countries in the world and 9 countries in the Latin American and Caribbean region to form part of AIRCOP, a multi-agency, anti-trafficking initiative funded by the EU as part of the EU Cocaine Route Programme, and implemented by UNODC in collaboration with INTERPOL and the World Customs Organization (WCO), to fight drug trafficking by strengthening detection, interdiction and investigative capacities of law enforcement officials in participating airports.