News briefing – Week of 21 March

21/03 CRIMJUST organised its first capacity-building on “Cyber Elements of Drug Trafficking Investigations” under the framework of its new INL-funded project in West Africa. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) held a training on “Cyber Elements of Drug Trafficking Investigations”, in Cotonou, Benin for law enforcement officers from the Republican Police of Benin and…

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 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…

News briefing week 7 February

07/02 Ammunition seized in Dakar from a Guyanese ship. The Eolika, a cargo ship flying the Guyanese flag, was detained in the port of Dakar. When the authorities searched the vessel, three containers of Italian-made ammunition worth an estimated $5 million were seized. https://allafrica.com/stories/202202080183.html 07/02 The discovery of a torture chamber used by drug gangs. Seized in…

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Ammunition seizure in Dakar facilitated by SEACOP

This week, the Joint Maritime Control Unit operating in the port of Dakar  🇸🇳 (or UMCCN) was involved in the seizure of ammunition with an estimated value of almost 5 million Euros.  Over the past two years, the SEACOP project has made a significant contribution to the training of Senegalese police, gendarmerie and customs officers assigned…

SEACOP kicks off first training in Dakar

Last week, SEACOP organised its first official activity in Dakar! Led by an officer from the Coast Guard Directorate of the French customs, the mentoring activity involved 10 Senegalese police officers, customs officers and gendarmes exercising their functions within the Joint Maritime Control Unit of Dakar. The officers were able to strengthen their theoretical and…

The Seaport Cooperation Project (SEACOP) kicks off fifth phase

The trafficking of illicit goods -including drugs- is an international phenomenon with a devastating impact on social and economic development as well as on public health. The transatlantic axis, which stretches from Latin America via the Caribbean and West Africa to Europe, is a major route for these illicit flows. Orchestrated by transnational criminal groups…

SEACOP delivers successful training to Beninese counterparts

From the 12th to the 16th October 2020 SEACOP implemented training on vessel rummaging in Cotonou, Benin to officers from the police, customs and the navy. Delivered over five days, the training contained both theoretical and practical elements including the inspection of cargo, a tug, a supply ship as well as a final exercise involving…

News Briefing – Week of 25 May

  25/05/2020 – Moroccan authorities are analysing seizures made in 2019. It is reported that 119 tonnes of cannabis were seized as well as 13.5 million cigarettes and 680 000 pills that indicate psychotropic substances.   25/05/2020 – The Colombian army discovered 516kgs of cocaine hidden in 5 plastic containers. It is believed that the now seized drugs were…