16/02/2021
The EL PAcCTO project: Support for AMERIPOL has helped to launch "Operation Link", an initiative to put a stop to COVID19 vaccine trafficking networks
Meeting held at the headquarters of the Tax and Customs Police (POLFA) in Bogotá
Since last year, the European Union Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the American Police Community (AMERIPOL), with support from the EL PAcCTO project, has been: supporting AMERIPOL by working together to fight against the counterfeiting of medical supplies. The international cooperation project, which is managed by FIIAPP and financed by the European Union, played a role in launching “Operation Link“ .
The objective of this initiative is to locate and identify criminal networks planning to smuggle, falsify and traffic in COVID19 vaccines anywhere in the world. The countries that make up the Ameripol police force, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama and the Dominican Republic, as well as Interpol, Europol and OLAF are all participating in this simultaneous operation.
This action is enabling authorities around the world to stamp out potential activities by transnational criminal networks wanting to intervene in legal markets for COVID19 vaccines by falsifying, distributing and marketing vaccines.
In December last year, Interpol launched a worldwide alert addressed to the 194 member countries, in which it asked for “vigilance against organised crime networks wanting to profit from vaccines”.
