29/10/2019
This event sought to strengthen the joint work between security forces and public ministries in the fight against environmental crimes
Photograph taken during the forum
EL PAcCTO, which is funded by the European Union and managed by FIIAPP and Expertise France with the support of ILA and Camões, has held the second regional seminar on environmental crimes in Peru in order to strengthen relations between the security forces and Public ministries in the countries of Latin America and the European Union to eradicate this problem.
The event was inaugurated by the European Union ambassador in Peru, Diego Mellado, who said that one of the priorities for the European Union and its international partners is to fight organised crime in Latin America, especially the environmental crimes that affect the region. He also stressed the importance of coordination in order to “combat this scourge that is invading ever larger areas”.
Similarly, the director of the Peruvian National Police’s Environment Directorate, Luis Vera, said that “environmental crimes are increasing with incredible speed, we need a structure with robust logistics and capabilities to combat environmental crime”, therefore, “the best way to fight crime is to join forces and coordinate and exchange information”.
During the four days of the seminar, various representatives from the security forces and public ministries of Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Peru and European countries including Germany, Spain, France, Italy and Portugal, as well as representatives from INTERPOL, EUROPOL and AMERIPOL discussed the need for cooperation and coordination at the national, regional and international levels.
During the meeting, progress made in actions against the illicit traffic of mercury, wood and wildlife were also announced. In addition, a high-level meeting on illegal mining was proposed between representatives from Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.
Likewise, within the framework of this activity, EL PAcCTO has committed itself to supporting the work of the Jaguar network in 2020, deepening inter-institutional exchanges between security forces and public ministries and standardising research actions and procedures in this area through a draft guide for the investigation of environmental crimes.
