03/03/2025
The programme has also conducted its first maritime intelligence training in the country
The SEACOP LATAM team has travelled to Costa Rica to carry out two activities of great importance for the incorporation of the country in the European SEACOP VI project.
A memorandum of understanding has been signed between the Ministry of Security and SEACOP for Costa Rica to officially join the SEACOP countries. Thus, Costa Rica is integrated into the project strategy called Gres Puertos, where countries such as Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic work together to improve information exchange and operational actions regarding the control of illicit maritime trafficking.
The signing took place during the celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Costa Rica and the EU, attended by ambassadors from different countries, including Spain’s Eva Felicia Martínez Sánchez, the EU External Service’s Deputy Director for the Americas, Pelayo Castro Zuzuárregui, and Costa Rica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship, Arnoldo André Tinoco.
In addition, the first training in maritime intelligence was carried out, in which an expert from SEACOP and an instructor from the Ecuadorian Navy provided training over five days. It was aimed at the different institutions in the country that fight organised crime and drug trafficking, such as the Coast Guard, the Border Police, the Drug Control Police and intelligence agencies.
The training sessions have focused on understanding the regional and international threat, analysing different concealment techniques, studying the criminal structures affecting the region and the use of intelligence gathering tools along the trade logistics chain.
Inter-agency workshops have also been held where participants have been able to analyse and resolve different operational cases, from intelligence gathering to the development of maritime operations.
