Nine officers from the police and other law enforcement agencies, namely the Financial Intelligence Unit, National Drug Enforcement Agency and the customs department received their certificates yesterday after following a week-long training course in cyber-enable financial crimes.
The course was conducted by four experts from the Federal Investigation Bureau (FBI) and the Interpol and was run under the European Union’s Maritime Security MASE programme/Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) framework and financed by the European Union (EU).
It was aimed at building the capacity of the country’s law enforcement agencies involved in anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing activities linked to maritime crimes.
Present at the ceremony were the Commissioner of Police Reginald Elizabeth, senior officials from relevant agencies.
Interpol’s primary role in the training sessions is to build and enhance the skills necessary for conducting successful investigations and prosecutions. Its project is embedded within the EU MASE programme, launched in response to the rise in maritime piracy off the coast of Somalia. The programme supports countries in the region to tackle this phenomenon and its side effects. And Interpol’s contribution, under the leadership of Comesa focuses on supporting member countries to enhance their capacity to analyse, detect and track financial flows linked to maritime piracy by setting up and strengthening their national authorities.
“We acknowledge that while piracy activities have been contained, nevertheless the threats are not entirely over. Therefore the dismantling of these financial proceeds from piracy remains relevant, particularly, when these financial proceeds are being diverted to fund other transnational crimes,” said Mr Elizabeth.
He remarked that cyber and transnational crimes have no borders and therefore remain a collective and shared responsibility for every state to work together to find solutions. And this underscores the importance of developing international cooperation and the role of Interpol in order to harmonise police capabilities, provide professional training and use of innovative tools.
“The MASE programme is one more example of the international and regional cooperation, and I have no doubt that this programme has enabled the sharing of experiences and exchange of useful information within our regions and other parts of the world. On our part, we stand ready to continue to support this initiative,” he said.
Mr Elizabeth also informed the officers of a new initiative to be put in place soon to link enforcement agencies.
At the end of the ceremony tokens of appreciation were exchanged while one of the officers delivered a vote of thanks on behalf of his colleagues.
