The International Police Organization, INTERPOL, says it has signed an agreement with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling in the Caribbean and other places.
Signed on March 5 in Geneva, Switzerland by INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble and IOM Director General William Lacy Swing, the agreement “formalises the already strong working relationship between the two organizations,” INTERPOL said.
It said key elements include information exchange, in particular relating to travel fraud, border management technology and operations, capacity building and training for police and migration officials, and implementing joint projects to address human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
“IOM and INTERPOL have a long history of collaboration in the field of border and migration management,” said IOM Director General William Lacy Swing.
“This agreement will allow us to deepen that partnership to advance matters of common interest through increased collaboration, consultation and information exchange,” he added. “It will also provide a foundation for the development of future projects which will benefit from joint INTERPOL and IOM expertise.”
Noble said the agreement would help global efforts to identify the individuals and organized crime networks behind human trafficking and migrant smuggling.
“Ensuring that frontline officers have access to the training and policing tools they need to make vital and often time-pressured decisions about individuals attempting to enter their country is crucial,” he said.
“INTERPOL’s agreement with IOM will enable both organizations to provide even more support to law enforcement around the world in securing their borders, rescuing victims of human trafficking and identifying those involved in people smuggling,” he added.
To support global activities in combating transnational crime and terrorism, INTERPOL said its Integrated Border Management Task Force (IBMTF) “acts as a central point of contact for international border security and management activities.”
Under the IBMTF umbrella, and with support from partner organizations such as the IOM, INTERPOL said it has coordinated a series of border security operations in a variety of specialized crime areas around the world, resulting in the identification and arrest of criminals attempting to avoid detection, drug seizures and disruption of organized crime activities.
