27-28 April 2023 - The Public Prosecutor's Offices of Argentina and Chile, with the facilitation of CRIMJUST and the International Cooperation Network of the Ibero-American Association of Public Prosecutor's Offices (AIAMP), held a meeting in Santiago de Chile to strengthen the establishment of joint investigation teamsand discuss responses and strategies addressing organised crime.
The meeting allowed authorities from both jurisdictions to present their progress in their respective investigations, discuss investigative strategies and tools developed in the framework of the Ibero-American Association of Public Prosecutors (AIAMP).The event was also attended by prosecutors, security forces, members of AIAMP's Criminal Cooperation Network (REDCOOP), and the Global Firearms Programme of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Since November 2022, the Republic of Argentina and the Republic of Chile have signed an agreement that facilitates the creation of Joint Investigation Teams (JIT). These teams have enabled the competent authorities of both States to establish a framework for coordination and cooperation to carry out investigations into specific cases affecting the territories of both countries.
During the first sessions of this meeting, UNODC CRIMJUST provided technical assistance and facilitated discussions among the members of the public prosecutors' offices, whoreviewed the procedural aspects of setting up these JITs and discussed the challenges they have faced and how to overcome them. In the sessions that followed, information and intelligence was exchanged as well as the evidence gathered; this enabled a new work plan to be defined and new joint activities to be undertaken. At the end of the event, possibilities were explored to, firstly, expand the agreement on the joint investigation team, secondly to include other jurisdictions in such teams (or to obtain the support of other networks or possible countries of origin or destination) and finally, to establish guidelines for strengthening security measures for criminal justice actors and others.
CRIMJUST is funded by the European Union and by the US Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). It seeks to enhance law enforcement and judicial counter-narcotic strategies beyond interdiction activities and to foster transnational responses targeting each stage of the drug supply chain.
For more information:
- United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
- INTERPOL
- Global Illicit Flows Programme
