03/07/2024
20 countries from Latin America, West Africa, the Caribbean and the European Union have met to study new trafficking routes
Lisbon hosted the interregional event “Atlantic Alliance to combat illicit maritime trafficking“, which brought together 90 high-level representatives from 20 countries from Latin America, West Africa, the Caribbean and the European Union.
The meeting was organised within the framework of the sixth phase of the European SEACOP project, which includes the work of Expertise France from France and from Spain with the FIIAPP and specialists from the National Police.
This workshop has worked to analyse how best to combat the new illicit trafficking routes from Latin America to Africa, with an emphasis on how to strengthen the links between the two sides of the Atlantic.
By bringing all these important actors around one table, this meeting aims to foster global cooperation to identify and ultimately disrupt new illicit maritime routes along the transatlantic axis,” explained Dominique Bucas, SEACOP project manager.
Through panel discussions and expert presentations, the event fostered a dynamic exchange of best practices and strategies among public law enforcement personnel from SEACOP partner countries, as well as key actors in the maritime security field.
“Drug trafficking is ’emerging’ because it seeks the same routes as smuggling did in the past, taking advantage of the vulnerabilities of authorities and cracks in security and control systems to enter our countries, either as a transit point to other countries and regions or to be collected and then loaded onto ships bound for Africa and Europe,” said Rear Admiral José Luis Elizondo of the National Naval Prefecture of Uruguay.
SEACOP was first launched in 2010 to contribute to the fight against illicit maritime trade and associated criminal networks in more than 30 countries in the Caribbean, Latin America and West Africa. Now in its sixth phase of implementation, the project aims to help alleviate the negative impact of illicit trade on security, public health and socio-economic development.
