Police and judicial cooperation against drugs between Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean

Last March 3d and 4th took place the first coordination meetings on international cooperation on drug trafficking and money laundering promoted by the COPOLAD III program.

More than 60 representatives of public administrations, such as police, judiciary, anti-drug agencies or prosecutors from Honduras, Belize, Colombia, Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic participated online in this first and fruitful exchange workshop that began on March 3. Among the topics discussed were international coordination in intelligence and drug trafficking investigations, special investigative techniques, new technologies in the fight against international drug trafficking and inter-agency coordination. 

The March 4th sesión was focused on international cooperation in the areas of money laundering prevention systems, financial and asset investigation, recovery and management and social use of confiscated assets.

The sessions were coordinated by the International Italo-Latin American Organization (IILA) with de participaton of Nicola Russo, judge and head of the Legal Affairs Department of the Italian Ministry of Justice and Lieutenant Colonel Alessandro Loddo, from the Central Directorate of the Anti-Drug Services of the Italian Ministry of the Interior. IILA is, together with FIIAPP, the leader of the UE fundad COPOLAD III program that promotes cooperation on drugs between Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean.

 New sessions

In March and April, these working meetings will be replicated with other Latin American and Caribbean countries. They will make the presentation on the main challenges  on drug trafficking and money laundering, as well as to present the work proposals and experts of the COPOLAD III program and to receive comments and suggestions from the participating countries. They will also conform the working groups that will concretize the collaboration in an operational manner.

The continued and diverse use of financial and economic systems by international drug trafficking networks highlight the need to strengthen comprehensive strategies to impact illicit economies. While they try to legitimize illicit profits it is urgente to seek new ways of working by tracing the finances and assets of criminal organizations.