Strengthening Border Security: Customs and Border Guards Join Forces to Prevent and
Detect Migrant Smuggling in South-Eastern Europe
March 2025, Podgorica, Montenegro: On 18-20 March 2025, UNODC organized a Regional Workshop on Preventing and Countering Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants (TIP/SOM). This event was implemented by the UNODC Passenger and Cargo Control Programme (PCCP) as part of the EU-UNODC Joint Action “Promoting rule of of law and good governance through target border control measures at ports and airports in South-Eastern Europe”, in partnership with the EU4FAST Project - EU Support to Strengthen the Fight against Migrant Smuggling and Trafficking in Human Beings in the Western Balkans.
The workshop brought together 31 participants from South-Eastern European jurisdictions in particular police and customs officials assigned to the joint inter-agency units at targeted land-borders, seaports and airports established under PCCP as well as other law enforcement officials from members of TIP/SOM Task Forces. This three-day collaborative event aimed to enhance officials’ capacity in the region to better address and fight transnational organized crime, including through more effective and coordinated responses and the enhancement of practical skills to prevent and counter trafficking of persons and smuggling of migrants (TIP/SOM).
In his opening addressing Mr. Lazar Šćepanović, Acting Director of the Police Administration of Montenegro highlighted that “Regional and international cooperation as well as strengthening joint cooperation among national law enforcement structures are among the key elements for building future successes in the fight against human trafficking and smuggling of migrants”. During the opening session, Mr. Batyr Geldiyev, UNODC PCCP Regional Coordinator stated that while dedicated multi-agency task forces for TIP/SOM exist in almost all South-Eastern Europe jurisdictions, further efforts are needed to enhance inter-agency cooperation in addressing TIP/SOM in the region. In this context, it is of crucial importance to equip practitioners, members of inter-agency units established under PCCP with the necessary knowledge, skills, and tools to respond to incidents of migrant smuggling and human trafficking at borders, and to deepen cooperation with the mentioned anti-TIP/SOM task forces.
During this workshop, a rich display of presentations and activities was organised, supported by speakers from regional and European institutions to promote an exchange of practices on border security. Participants discussed global and regional trends, as well as criminal justice responses in the region as well as PCCP and EU4FAST project.
The event also contributed to the exchange of EU and regional best practices and strategies in combating the trafficking of persons and smuggling of migrants at borders, with examples of case studies provided by the German federal police (Bundespolizei), the technical cooperation operator of French Ministry of the Interior (CIVIPOL), and from jurisdictions in South-Eastern Europe. One of the examples discussed was cross-border police cooperation between Germany and Switzerland, introducing operational cooperation and operational support in a tri-border area.
This workshop provided an important mutual learning platform, as participants had the opportunity to exchange insights, observe and analyse different approaches, examine the use and application of various border-security techniques, and address challenges arising from regional contexts. These discussions are crucial for the further development of regional Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and cooperation among local administrations.
This activity is implemented with financial support of the European Union and was organized by the UNODC in partnership with the EU4FAST Project, jointly funded by the European Union, the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development, the Italian Ministry of Interior and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
