5-30 November 2018 - Having joined the CRIMJUST Programme in November 2018, Bolivia receives tailored technical assistance. The joint efforts between UNODC headquarters and UNODC Country Office in Bolivia have strengthened the capacities of national criminal justice institutions through three workshops on regional cooperation, asset forfeiture and payment of informants.
The first activity, a workshop on regional and interregional cooperation in criminal justice matters from 5-7 November 2018 in La Paz, was jointly organized by CRIMJUST and the Ministry of Government, the Ministry of Defence, the National Council for the Fight against Drug Trafficking and the Special Forces for the Fight against Drug Trafficking. A total number of 26 prosecutors and law enforcement officers increased their skills regarding the judicial framework for cooperation in matters of drug trafficking and mechanisms for cooperation to operationalize mutual legal assistance. As a result, participants discussed the future elaboration of a manual on international cooperation, methods to improve flexible and informal communication, as well as spontaneous information exchange and the promotion of joint investigations.
A second workshop on asset forfeiture provided 28 participants with knowledge of investigative techniques, judicial regulation of asset forfeiture and international policies related to the issue. During the last session of the workshop, participants agreed on recommendations for further activities, future appointments of specialized judges and sharing of best practices among the administration.
The third activity was a workshop on payment and management of informants, facilitated by anti-drug police representatives from Colombia and the Bolivian Special Forces for the Fight against Drug Trafficking. A total number of 22 participants covered topics related to information gathering and the role of informants. As the main outcome, national officers had the opportunity to exchange experiences and challenges for the application of the discussed concepts and the practical utility of the handling of human sources for the fight against organized crime.
Overall, the series of workshops display a way forward regarding the roadmap of future activities to be held under the framework of CRIMJUST. The activities will emphasize a mayor inter-agency coordination in the process of asset forfeiture, improved cooperation between judges and prosecutors and the application of modern investigation techniques for organized crime and drug trafficking cases. As Bolivia is of crucial importance in the fight against drug trafficking, UNODC will continuously expand the implementation of activities.
Under the framework of the CRIMJUST project funded by European Union Cocaine Route Programme, UNODC and its partners (INTERPOL and TI) aim to assist Member States to enhance their capacity and integrity of criminal justice institutions to detect, investigate, prosecute and adjudicate illicit cocaine trafficking cases, and to foster cooperation at the interregional level for effective action to tackle drug trafficking and related organized crime.
For more information:
- European Union "Cocaine Route Programme"
- INTERPOL
