News briefing – week of 28 February

28/03 Criminal network distributing fake dark web documents busted. An investigation by the French Border Police (Police aux Frontières/Police Judiciaire which forms part of the National Police) and the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional), supported by Europol, led officers to the dismantling of an organised crime group involved in the procurement and distribution of forged…

News briefing – week of 21 February

21/02 Tobacco smuggling ring brought down in Spain and Portugal. With the support of Europol’s European Financial and Economic Crime Centre, a joint investigation between Spain’s Civil Guard (Guardia Civil) and Customs Surveillance Directorate (Dirección Adjunta de Vigilancia Aduanera) and Portugal’s Republican National Guard (Guardia Nacional Republicana) has led to the dismantlement of a criminal…

AIRCOP support in cocaine seizure in Dakar, Senegal.

With the support of AIRCOP, customs officers seized cocaine at Dakar airport in Senegal. The seizure was made by elements of the airport anti-trafficking unit (CAAT) of AIBD, from a South African national. Having targeted the passenger on the basis of the analysis of her travel documents, they detected inconsistencies in her declarations and the…

Third GIFP Steering Committee, organised by MASIF

On 17 February 2022, MASIF organised its third Steering Committee. This hybrid meeting was held both in Brussels and remotely, bringing together all the projects constituting the GIFP.  On this occasion, AIRCOP, SEACOP, COLIBRI, DISRUPT, EU-ACT, CRIMJUST, MASIF and FIREARMS provided updates on their progress, achievements, and responses to tackle illicit routes and organised crime.…

SEACOP, St Lucia Minister sign MoU on cooperation against illicit maritime trade

The EU-funded project SEACOP V and the  Ministry for the Public Service, Home Affairs Labour and Gender Affairs of St Lucia, on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding to pursue cooperation in the fight against illicit maritime trade. Represented by Minister Dr Virginia Albert-Poyotte, and SEACOP Regional Coordinator for the Caribbean, Karen Clarke, the event…

News briefing week of 14 February

15/02 45 people arrested in the crackdown on Albanian-speaking criminals and cocaine trafficking. An international operation involving judicial and law enforcement authorities in eight countries has resulted in the takedown of one of Europe’s most active Albanian-speaking cocaine trafficking networks Europe. On this occasion, Eurojust and Europol supported a series of actions carried out in…