382 arrests during joint actions against traffickers using the Balkan route

28 European countries join forces to target drug and firearms trafficking, migrant smuggling and human trafficking

From 26 to 29 October, as part of the activities of the EMPACT Platform ("European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats"), the EU's key instrument for the fight against organized crime, the "Joint Action Days-Europe sudorientale "(so-called South East Europe JAD or JAD-SEE).

In this context, Italy coordinated operations on the national territory through the Central Directorate of the Criminal Police and, in particular, the International Operations Room (SOI) of the International Police Cooperation Service, which, as usual, carried out the function of information hub.

The State Police intervened on the field with the Central Directorate of Immigration and the Border Police, the Carabinieri and the Guardia di Finanza at the respective border points, so-called “Border Crossing Points”.

The Guardia di Finanza also carried out the activities with the support of the Customs and Monopoly Agency within the customs areas.

The police authorities of the 28 European countries involved in the operation (18 EU Member States and 10 third countries) focused their activities, in particular, on firearms trafficking, drug trafficking, migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings.

The activities were coordinated by Spain and Europol, funded by the project "Countering Serious Crime in The Western Balkans - IPA 2019" (an initiative developed as part of an agreement between the Italian Ministry of the Interior, Central Directorate of the Criminal Police, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the European Commission to raise the operational standards of the judicial and police institutions of the Western Balkan States towards the path of access to the EU) and supported by Eurojust, Frontex and INTERPOL.

Around 16.000 operators were involved in the activities, which took place mainly in the Balkans (the Balkan route is a key entry point to the EU for arms and drug traffickers) and in South Eastern Europe and led to 382 arrests, the most of which related to drug trafficking, aiding illegal immigration, document fraud and firearms trafficking. Over 100 firearms were seized (including air defense systems, grenades, anti-tank missiles, anti-personnel mines) and large quantities of drugs (including over 300 kg of heroin and 150 kg of cannabis).

382 arrests during joint actions against traffickers using the Balkan route