CEPOL course entitled “Illegal Immigration” was held in Lognes, France on 19 - 22 October 2010. The French CEPOL Team at the National Police Sub-Department of Training and Development of Competences hosted and organised this CEPOL activity with substantial cooperation from the French Border Police Directorate, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Europol.
The aim of the course was to deal with one of the European countries most pressing matters: the fight against illegal immigration networks. Twenty three law enforcement officers took part in this course from 15 EU countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
The course was officially opened by Emile Pérez, Director of International Cooperation, Frédéric Perrin, Director of the Border Police, and Martine Nauté, Sub-Director of Training and Development of Competences.
Over the four-day course, many topics were discussed including the recent evolution of illegal immigration, counter-structures and measures as well as illegal immigration routes through Europe with a particular focus on Calais in the north of France and the Balkan routes. Further items covered and presented included details of border controls in “Channel” trains between the UK and France, in airports (with a visit to Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport Border Police), operational investigation techniques including technical equipment used and finally international and European cooperation in the fight against illegal immigration, notably Europol’s response in relation to facilitated illegal immigration.
Many speakers and moderators contributed to create fruitful discussions and exchanges. On the third day, Stéphane Gay, Office Central pour la Répression de l’Immigration irrégulière et de l’Emploi d’étrangers Sans Titre (OCRIEST) and two officers from the French Border Police, Hubert Gattet and Jean-Thomas Lenegre, conducted workshops in which participants could exchange their experiences and knowledge in the field of falsified documents, investigation techniques used against networks and new technologies at their disposal in the ongoing struggle against illegal immigration.
