18 May 2022 - CRIMJUST jointly with the Network of Anti-Drug Prosecutors of Ibero-America (RFAI) organized a side event in the margins of the 31st Session of the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ). The side event “Global challenges and strategies in the prosecution of cases of transnational drug trafficking”, aimed at promoting the exchange of information between anti-drug prosecutors in the course of joint transnational investigations.
Mr. Glen Prichard, UNODC’s Head of Global Programme CRIMJUST, highlighted that the event is part of a broader effort to promote effective strategies in the prosecution of transnational drug trafficking cases. UNODC’s Deputy Director of the Division for Operations, Ms. Candice Welsch's opened the event by recognizing the merits of the strong CRIMJUST/ RFAI partnership and highlighted the importance of networked responses to counter transnational criminal networks.
Mr Diego Iglesias, Federal Prosecutor in Charge of Narco-Criminal Affairs Unit of the Public Prosecutor's Office of Argentina (PROCUNAR), then highlighted the complexities of organized crime and drug trafficking phenomena, focusing on the operational activities of drug-criminal organizations from penitentiary establishments. Furthermore, he expressed concern about threats to the physical security of anti-drug prosecutors and actors in the criminal process, as a result of the recent murder of a Paraguayan prosecutor and RFAI member. His words were echoed by Mr. Luis Toledo, Director of the Specialized Unit for Illicit Trafficking of Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances of Chile, who emphasized the need to work more effectively at a transnational level by updating and revisit the prosecutorial strategies.
Mr Ignacio de Lucas, Senior Anti-Drug Prosecutor and Coordinator of the Network of Anti-Drug Prosecutors of Ibero-America, RFAI, discussed the global challenges and strategies for prosecution of transnational drug cases, referring to the importance of improving international cooperation, which RFAI, the interlocutor of the anti-drug prosecutors in Ibero-America, is achieving. Mr Matias Alvarez, Deputy Coordinator of the RFAI, presented three case studies to demonstrate how the coordinated work of specialized prosecutors through the RFAI makes it possible to face some of the challenges presented by drug trafficking at a global level.
All panellists emphasized the importance of encouraging information exchange among anti-drug prosecutors during joint transnational investigations, the development of transnational cooperation and international trust, and the importance of enhancing the protection of prosecutors' physical integrity. The examples of multilateral initiatives such as CRIMJUST and RFAI showcased the added value of interconnected criminal justice responses aimed at disrupting organised crime.
This CRIMJUST activity was funded by the European Union under the framework of the "Global Illicit Flows Programme" [GIFP]. It joins existing efforts 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:
- CRIMJUST
- Global Illicit Flows Programme of the European Union (GIFP)
- Iberoamerican Network of Anti-Drug Prosecutors (RFAI)