After a successful “Heroin smuggling” course in 2016, now the activity was hosted on 16-18 May 2017 at the Southeast European Law Enforcement Center (SELEC) in Bucharest, Romania.
This year also law enforcement colleagues from Turkey and Albania joined the group. Moreover, thanks to the expanded CEPOL’s mandate, there were also prosecutors and representatives of multiple law enforcement agencies.
Heroin smuggling course provides contribution to the Operational Action Plan 2017 for the EU Policy Cycle priority “Heroin”. Its Driver representing the National Crime Agency, United Kingdom shared further details about the way how the EMPACT Heroin operates.
A team from Counter Narcotics Police Afghanistan presented challenges in their operations against narcotics production. The Intelligence and Investigation Unit operates with the support provided by the National Crime Agency attached to the United Kingdom Embassy in Kabul. This was complemented by experience with heroin production simulated on-the-spot by a forensic team of Bundeskriminalamt Wiesbaden, Germany on their mission to Afghanistan.
Event in Bucharest focused on various elements related to heroin investigation: improvement of operational picture, forensic investigation, financial investigation, cross-border surveillance and controlled deliveries. Also participants exchanged information about interesting concealment methods from their countries. SELEC shared their experience about joint investigations within the SELEC framework.
Europol highlighted the recent trends from operational point of view. Via scenarios the group had an opportunity to exchange views on how to proceed in criminal investigations, whereby in addition to Europol also other options for international cooperation were pointed out, for example via SELEC. EMCDDA complemented the picture with strategic information about the heroin market.
Our thanks are extended to all supporting partners: SELEC, Counter Narcotic Police Afghanistan, UK Embassy in Afghanistan, National Crime Agency/UK, Forensic Institute Armenia, Forensic Department of BKA/Germany, EMCDDA and Europol.
