Strengthening International Cooperation between Latin America and Europe through a twinning meeting for Colombian, Mexican, and Spanish officers in Madrid
From November 28 to December 1, 2023 - The Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances (GRIDS) Programme of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), in partnership with the Spanish National Police and the Intelligence Center for Counterterrorism and Organized Crime (CITCO), convened a twinning mission in Madrid for officers from Colombia, Mexico, and Spain.
The event was attended by twenty-three (23) officers from various national agencies, including the Spain National Police, the CITCO, the Spain Guardia Civil, the Spanish Central Customs, the Mexican Navy Secretary, the Mexican External Relations Secretary, and the Colombia National Police.
The opening ceremony, presided over by Mr. Francisco Javier Ramos Fernandez, Commissioner and Head of the Organized Crime Brigade of the Drug and Organized Crime Units (UDYCO), Ms. Marife Mateos San Felipe, Head of the Organized Crime area (CITCO), and Ms. Marzia Deflorian, the GRIDS Programme's Regional Technical officer for the Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) region, set the stage for a series of informative sessions. The speakers emphasized the crucial role played by regional and international cooperation, along with the use of intelligence-sharing tools developed by the INCB's GRIDS programme in combatting the trafficking of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), non-medical synthetic opioids, and other hazardous substances.
Throughout the training, participants gained a thorough understanding of the GRIDS Programme and its strategic initiatives tailored to address the constantly evolving drug trafficking landscape Representatives from participating agencies shared insights into current national trends in drug trafficking, highlighting recent major seizures where international cooperation played a pivotal role in dismantling drug manufacturing operations.
Through the presentation given by Amparo Estruch, Drug control and crime prevention officer with the GRIDS Programme, the participants also acquired hands-on experience in utilizing IONICS and GRIDS Intelligence HD, two instrumental resources for supporting domestic and international trafficking investigations. GRIDS Intelligence HD, a cutting-edge targeting tool, transforms IONICS information into actionable intelligence for daily operations and risk profiling. A practical exercise with real-case information further encouraged participants to collaborate in a real-time scenario.
Photo: Participant presenting national trends and outcomes (left), group work (right)
A dedicated session covered the safe handling and proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when dealing with opioids and other dangerous materials, underscoring the importance of adhering to fundamental protective measures. Additionally, two field visits were organized. In the first one, the participants were taken to the National Police Forensic Laboratory where they were briefed on the latest data on the tested NPS. The second visit, gridto the Barajas International Airport facilities, offered them an opportunity to learn about security and interdiction strategies and procedures implemented by the Spanish customs.
The Board's Global Rapid Interdiction of Dangerous Substances (GRIDS) Programme and Project ION and OPIOIDS Project support Governments' capacity to respond to changing trafficking, illicit manufacture, marketing and sales of NPS, non-medical synthetic opioids and fentanyl-related substances by providing real-time communication, facilitating information exchange and intelligence development that interdict distribution of dangerous substances.
This event was organized in collaboration with DIAN and was made possible through generous support from the United States of America's Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.
Click here to learn more about the GRIDS Programme
Click here to learn more about the OPIOIDS Project
Click here to learn more about the Project ION