17/07/2023
Experts from the National Police have held a theoretical and practical workshop to provide Peruvian institutions with tools for airport control, such as profiling mules and false documents
Intervention of the EU-Peru project manager
A workshop was held in Peru with the aim of training the National Police, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Peruvian Judiciary, Customs and Migration personnel in the necessary tools for airport control, such as the profiling of mules and false documentation.
The workshop, held in coordination with the AIRCORP programme, lasted 5 days and was attended by members of various institutions working at Lima’s Jorge Chávez international airport. The European experts, mobilised by the FIIAPP in the framework of the European project to support the fight against drugs and organised crime in Peru, were both members of the Spanish National Police, linked to airport work.
The EU project and AIRCOP -Airports Communication Project, implemented by UNODC in collaboration with the World Customs Organisation (WCO) and Interpol- share similar objectives: strengthening international cooperation and improving the capacity of airports to detect and combat illicit drug trafficking and related crimes.
Airports represent critical points in the transport chain due to their role as global hubs, the high volume of passengers and cargo they handle, their role as border crossings and their infrastructure. All this makes airports attractive to criminal organisations seeking to facilitate the transport of illegal goods and other related crimes.
Therefore, airports need special attention to prevent and combat these criminal activities. Criminal organisations are constantly looking for new ways to evade detection and adapt to existing security measures, which requires constant updating and improvement of security procedures at airports.
European experts from the National Police were able to share experiences in two areas. Firstly, on the profiling of mules at airports. Transporting drugs is one of the most common activities carried out by criminal organisations at airports. They use different methods, such as mules, concealment in goods or impregnation in objects, to smuggle drugs through security controls and distribute them at the final destination.
In terms of document forgery, criminal organisations can produce and use false documents, such as passports, visas or work permits, to facilitate the illegal entry and exit of persons, related to illicit activities.
These actions are essential for all institutional actors to keep up to date on tactics and new criminal trends; improve their profiling and detection skills; know how to use new technologies; know how to prevent corruption; and foster international cooperation and institutional coordination. Moreover, always guaranteeing the fundamental rights of the persons controlled or detained.
