Judicial coordination is the key to effectively fighting organised crime

The transnational nature of criminal organisations poses a challenge, which requires the application of effective coordination mechanisms. To this end, those responsible for the international judicial cooperation offices and units of the Ministries of Public Affairs, Security, Government, Foreign Affairs, the Attorney General’s Offices and Judicial Branches of  SICA member countries have met in Panama in order to strengthen their procedures against transnational organised crime and make progress in judicial coordination. 

One of the aims of the ICRIME project is to move forward in the fight against crime and drug trafficking at an international level. The role of the central authorities is a very important element in speeding up the necessary cooperation between the various States. This meeting has therefore been organised with the aim of bringing together the various authorities and making progress in this fight. 

During the event, Hefer Morataya, SICA’s director of Democratic Security, said that the Central American Security Strategy (ESCA) is a key security instrument. Project expert Robert Ampuy also spoke about the need to develop a common model to streamline processes related to mutual legal assistance. 

The ICRIME project has European funding. This project to fight crime and drug trafficking is being led by Expertise France and FIIAPP and is coordinated by the General Secretariat of the Central American Integration System (SG-SICA).