A.T.H.E.N.A 2 – Addressing Threat assessment through an European Network of Law Enforcement Agencies
The project supported coordinated evaluation of joint activities (patrols, investigation teams, cross-border surveillance) managed by beneficiaries (Bulgaria, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Romania, Slovenia, SELEC) and their neighboring countries. 24 cross border observations, 24 joint operations, 12 joint investigations, 24 joint patrols and 6 thematic workshops were managed, with approx. 300 officers involved. 24 bilateral meetings focusing on planning, coordinating and evaluating operational joint activities were organized.
One of the working package will be dedicated to training for SPOC (Single Point of Operational Contact) and on field officers, in cooperation with CEPOL, in order to grant ad-hoc training for joint operations. Dedicated SPOC platform, established on CEPOL website, will support this activity. A mobile app for supporting joint operations was designed along with an analysis tool to be integrated in national Case Management Systems.
ECOFIT – Options for Enhancing Investigative Tool in the area of Firearms Trafficking
Project ECOFIT – Options for EnhanCing Operational instruments in the area of Firearms Trafficking, a research project co-funded by the European Union’s Internal Security Fund – Police, aimed to improve operational cooperation between law enforcement agencies in the area of firearms trafficking investigations.
Project ECOFIT was carried out by an international consortium coordinated by Transcrime – Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (Italy). The other partners were: Tilburg University and SELEC – Southeast European Law Enforcement Center.
The geographical scope of the project includes 27 EU Member States and 7 non-EU SELEC Member States (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Türkiye).
Project ECOFIT had 4 main objectives:
- To identify the existing gaps across EU MSs and 7 non-EU SELEC MSs in relation to the five operational instruments
taking into account 5 selected instruments, regarded as indicators of operational cooperation; - To define policy objectives in order to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of the operational instruments;
- To realize an Impact Assessment of available policy options that could achieve these results;
- To propose recommendations to the EU and guidelines to LEAs for implementing the best policy option(s) identified.
Project FAIT – Fight Against Illegal Trade
Over the recent decades, illicit trade had constantly increased in profitability for organized crime groups, subsequently causing significant financial loses for states’ revenue systems, especially those situated in the EU. As this illegal activity became more profitable in terms of financial benefits, it might risk the financial stability of EU and non EU markets. The project aimed at increasing the operational capacity of SELEC and its Member States in order to create an efficient response in fighting against smuggling phenomena.
The objectives of the project were:
- Setting up state-of-the-art SELEC Operational Centre Unit (OCU) in order to increase the operational capacity of the LEAs against illegal trade
- Training for 120 specialists on the latest technology, special techniques and special investigative methods for better results in the fight against smuggling of goods
- Social-media awareness campaign against smuggling activities
Project FAIT was financed by PMI IMPACT – a global grant initiative by Philip Morris International to support projects dedicated to fighting illegal trade and related crimes.
IMOBEX- Improving enforcement at the intersection of mobile banditry and exploitation
Project IMOBEX, with a duration of 24 months, aimed to enhance EU policies and operational law enforcement actions in the 27 EU Member States and 7 Southeast European third countries, to combat property crimes at the intersection of mobile banditry and human trafficking.
The activities conducted within the project, which included gathering up-to-date information on criminal activities of itinerant criminal groups involved in property crimes, organising a workshop in which enforcement practitioners and other experts develop innovative intervention strategies and a road map for reducing barriers caused by insufficient legal options and applying a state of the art organised crime field lab to train enforcement experts in the application of innovative interventions, benefited a wide range stakeholders by improving and disseminating knowledge about modi operandi and enforcement problems at the intersection of mobile banditry and human trafficking, developing creative and feasible interventions for enforcement agencies and promote, in the long-term, preventative effects of better inclusion of the socially and economically deprived communities from which itinerant criminal groups often originate.
Strengthening the fight against firearms trafficking in Southeastern Europe (SIRAS)
Project SIRAS strengthened the capacities of the law enforcement agencies in Southeastern Europe to fight against firearms trafficking.
It was been designed to support the use in the EU member states and in the SELEC member countries of data collection/analytic capabilities regarding firearms, consolidate the investigation capacity and facilitate joint investigations, police cooperation and promotion of best practices between LEAs in the region, by making use of the existing regional cooperation mechanisms.
Project SIRAS was built around a solid and diverse consortium of organizations from EU member states, third countries and an international organization, all having national or regional responsibilities directly connected with countering firearms trafficking in Southeastern Europe.
Main objectives and outcomes:
- Enhancing interoperability: Developing, disseminating and promoting interoperability and data collection through facilitation of the use of a common set of indicators and specialized IT&C infrastructure/databases for tracking, investigation and analysis in the field of firearms control:
- Identifying, building and sharing best practices and developing common investigation capacities for detection of the use of deep-web/dark net markets for firearms trafficking:
- Promoting networking, mutual learning and cooperation through the promotion of multinational and inter-disciplinary team work, establishing and developing a regional firearms experts network in Southeastern Europe, supporting police cooperation, joint investigations and exchange of best practices on firearms deactivation in Southeast Europe