Good practices in investigations into illegal migration, human trafficking and smuggling

The climate crisis, political factors, major economic crises and, in recent months, the socio-economic effects of the pandemic have increased the mobility of people between countries in Latin America, posing important challenges in terms of the governance of regional migration. This phenomenon has been accompanied by similar growth in crimes related to migration such as human trafficking, sexual exploitation, document forgery and weapons and illegal substance trafficking. 

In this regard, the EL PAcCTO project: Support for AMERIPOL (Support for AMERIPOL ) held several video conferences to disseminate and promote good practices, and lessons learned in the European Union and the Latin American region.  The purpose of the activity was for Latin American and European police forces to present their good police practices when investigating crimes related to migration and the creation of cooperative networks within AMERIPOL. 

Among the main matters dealt with during the meetings were strategies to combat crimes associated with migration, as well as the implementation of specific protocols.  They also shared their experiences with regional cooperation programmes such as EUROFRONT. 

Members of EL PAcCTO projects: Support to AMERIPOL and EUROFRONT, funded by the European Union in which FIIAPP is a managing participant, took part in the video conferences, which were also attended by the delegate of the executive secretary of AMERIPOL, Milton Fornazari Jr and the representative of the General Directorate of International Associations (DG INTPA of the European Commission), Jorge de la Caballería, as well as representatives of the National Units of AMERIPOL (UNAs), police departments that investigate migratory crimes, EUROPOL professionals and members of the Ministries of the Interior, Security or Defence of several Latin American countries.