In the framework of Project SIRAS, SELEC organized on 3-4 December 2019, in Athens/ Greece, a regional workshop aiming at exploring aspects related to the detection, identification and tracing of firearms components. The workshop was attended by specialized officers from all SELEC Member States, as well as from partner countries and organizations such as Belarus, The Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, EUBAM, FRONTEX, GCC-CIC and INTERPOL.
The Director for Operations of SELEC, Mr. Valentin Niculescu, addressed opening remarks, mentioning the importance of joint efforts in the fight against firearms trafficking and the contribution brought by Project SIRAS and its activities.
The topic of the workshop was addressed from different perspectives, as the participants included representatives of Police and Border Police forces, of Customs authorities, research institutes, prosecutor’s offices, NGOs, the private sector, international organizations. Some of the aspects discussed were: the detection of firearms and the related Frontex handbook, the forensic identification of firearms, traceability and trafficking of firearms, challenges in evidence gathering, INTERPOL’s tracing tools etc.
Law Enforcement experts with responsibilities in tackling firearms trafficking from all participating states presented significant cases investigated in the last years with particular focus on the detection, identification and tracing of firearms components, methods of concealment in cross-border shipments, disguise of firearms parts in other items, as well as other recent methods of firearms trafficking.
SELEC Associated Firearms Experts Network (SAFE-N) created in the framework of Project SIRAS was also presented.
Project SIRAS aimed at strengthening the capacities of the law enforcement agencies in South-East Europe to fight against firearms trafficking.

This project is funded by
the European Union.
This communication reflects only SELEC’s view and the European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.