Montenegro: ICITAP Proposes Counter-Smuggling Strategy to Southeastern Europe Police Chiefs Association

On May 12, the Montenegrin National Police Directorate hosted a virtual assembly of the Police Chiefs Association of Southeastern Europe (SEPCA) as part of its annual duties under a rotating presidency. The meeting agenda focused on measures that can be undertaken by SEPCA members against organized crime. SEPCA Member States include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, and Serbia. The member states discussed a number of initiatives under consideration in formulating the Annual Plan of SEPCA Activities. External parties attending the SEPCA Assembly included Interpol, Italy, UNODC, Europol, CEPOL, the United Kingdom, Austria, and the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. ICITAP has been a member of SEPCA since September of 2011. ICITAP-Montenegro Attaché Steve Monaco was invited to speak at the SEPCA Virtual Assembly and discussed measures that SEPCA might consider in working against the smuggling of migrants. Based on the briefing, SEPCA is considering formation of a working group to examine the smuggling of migrants among SEPCA member states and identify ways in which joint investigations might be developed and strengthened. ICITAP proposed to combine several topics in the working group meetings: briefings on trends in trafficking, training, examination of best practices in investigating the smuggling of migrants, and ultimately, sharing of information leading to joint cases.  A decision from SEPCA on the ICITAP proposal will be made available at the close of the annual assembly.