Strong of its strategic position in the Gulf of Guinea, Senegal has been at the forefront of the fight against illicit trafficking at sea, and a crucial partner of SEACOP in recent years.
This week (3-7 June 2024), the Joint Maritime Control Unit (JMCU) of Dakar engaged in a mentoring aimed to further reinforce its capacities to detect and seize illicit good aboard vessels.
Involved in several significant seizures recently, both at the port of Dakar and in Senegalese territorial waters, the JMCU team needs to stay constantly up to date on the methodologies and threats from organised crime groups. In this mentoring, trainers delivered a mix of classroom training and practical exercises aboard vessels to 15 JMCU members.
During the opening ceremony, the EU Delegation to Senegal, represented by Mr. Casas Christophe, Regional Crisis Response Attaché (European Commission FPI) noted: ‘This rummage exercise is timely given the observed increase in illicit trafficking of drugs, natural resources, counterfeit pharmaceuticals, arms, and money in the sub-region and Senegal.’
He commended the JMCU’s recent successes and ‘the effectiveness of international cooperation between national and international players.
I would like to warmly congratulate the Senegalese authorities on their determination to confront all those who want to ‘turn the sea into a lawless place’.’
