Seminar on the fight against drug trafficking in the western Mediterranean
© douanes.gouv.fr
- from: 24.09.2008
- to: 26.09.2008
- In: Toulon
On 1 and 2 April 2008, officials from the relevant national and international bodies for combatting drug trafficking (Algeria, France, Italy, Libya, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Spain, Tunisia, the United Kingdom, Europol, Interpol, the European Commission and the UN ODC) gathered in Paris to take stock of drug trafficking in the Mediterranean.
The conclusions of the meeting set forth the need to set up an operational centre for the analysis of maritime intelligence on narcotics in the Mediterranean. The project will strengthen the operational links and exchange of information between partner countries.
To this end, France is proposing the creation of a centre to coordinate the fight against drug trafficking in the Mediterranean (Centre de Coordination de la Lutte Anti-Drogue en Méditerranée - CECLAD-M) in Toulon.
The main aims are:
- to improve the fight against drug trafficking in the Mediterranean by reducing the availability of illegal substances;
- to reinforce relations between the partners on the northern and southern sides;
- to implement international coordination of intelligence and interceptions;
- to offer the prospect of pooling existing international tools.
Directly linked to other similar structures (MAOC-N/Maritime Analysis and Operation Centre - Narcotics, based in Lisbon and the JIATF/American Joint Interagency Task Force), the CECLAD-M project is part of the EU's action plan to pool resources in the fight against drug trafficking.
The seminar organised by the Ministry of the Interior, Overseas France, and Local and Regional Authorities (National Criminal Investigation Department) in partnership with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Economy and Finance, together with the Inter-ministerial Task Force in charge of fighting against drugs and drug addiction (MILDT) and the French Maritime Authority (Secrétariat Général de la Mer) from 24 to 26 September in Toulon should allow the proposed cooperation body's organisation and means of action to be defined.
In addition to the twenty-seven EU Member States, it will bring together representatives from Croatia, Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. The European Commission, the General Secretariat of the Council, Europol, Interpol, UNODC and the WCO will also be represented.
- Updated: 22.09.2008
