Brazil - 21 November 2023. In the complex web of global trafficking, Africa plays an important role as a frequently exploited transit hub for illicit goods, including those originating from Latin America. Beyond the well-known narco-dynamics that exist between Latin America and West Africa, the threat of cross-border illicit trafficking and related organized crime now extends into East and South Africa. Despite national and regional efforts by individual countries, illicit trafficking from Latin America persists to and through African countries. This is driven by gaps in enforcement and corruption that exploit the established maritime and air links to the destination markets in the region and through the region to the EU, West Asia, East Asia and Australia. To effectively address this multifaceted challenge, a coordinated and comprehensive international approach is essential, involving cooperation between African and Latin American countries to strengthen law enforcement, improve monitoring mechanisms and disrupt the established trafficking routes that threaten the security and well-being of nations on both continents.
Recognizing the importance of international cooperation and strategic targeting and interception in combating illicit trafficking, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Passenger and Cargo Border Team (PCBT), through AIRCOP, continues its longstanding collaboration with International Police Cooperation in Airports (INTERCOPS) of the Brazilian Federal Police. To date, twenty-seven capacity-building activities have been carried out in collaboration with the INTERCOPS Training Center and Brazil Customs, the most recent of which was a two-week course for eight officers from Joint Airport Interdiction Task Forces (JAITFs) in Cameroon, Gambia, Kenya, and Nigeria at the São Paulo-Guarulhos Airport in Brazil. Hosted by the Brazilian Federal Police (BFP) and funded by Global Illicit Flows Programme, this recent training course was characterized as "an eye-opening experience, providing insights into the latest global trends" by the participants.
The twenty-seventh session of the INTERCOPS programme was a concrete and successful example of South-South Cooperation between Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, receiving an "excellent" rating from all participants. Addressing the intertwined challenges between the regions, the two-week programme delivered targeted training modules to bolster mutual capabilities. Participants engaged with drug trafficking trends, interdiction and investigation techniques and the significance of international cooperation in the fight against illicit trafficking – essential knowledge for frontline officers tackling the distinct yet converging threats at both Latin American and African airports.
However, the broader impact of INTERCOPS lies in the ripple effect it generates, as participants return to their duty stations by carrying a wealth of knowledge and a commitment to share it with their peers in their respective JAITFs. "I constantly tell my colleagues how it is done there. If we must win, we must work together," one participant emphasized. Such unity is vital for consistent and seamless operations across continents.
Ultimately, the essence of INTERCOPS is to foster intra- and interregional as well as inter-agency cooperation that will be effective in combatting transnational crime. "All (of the training) will reinforce inter-agency collaboration within our airports and other connected airports of the PCBT/AIRCOP," an officer highlighted. Through these strengthened connections and the unwavering commitment of PCBT and all involved partners, we lay the groundwork for a world where our skies are not merely passages for travel but also reflections of our shared determination to stop everybody who seeks to exploit them.
AIRCOP, a project funded by the Global Illicit Flows Programme of the European Union, is a multi-agency project implemented by the Passenger and Cargo Border Team (PCBT) of UNODC in partnership with INTERPOL and the World Customs Organization (WCO). Its primary objective is to enhance the capabilities of international airports in identifying and intercepting high-risk individuals, cargo and mail, thereby contributing to the fight against all forms of transnational organized crime by air.
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