US and INTERPOL hold multilateral dialogue on nuclear smuggling prosecutions

1 July 2016

LYON, France - INTERPOL and the US Department of State have co-hosted a Multilateral Dialogue on Nuclear Smuggling Prosecutions.

The event, attended by law enforcement officials, scientific experts, prosecutors and judges from Azerbaijan, Jordan and Turkey was intended to strengthen national and regional capabilities to investigate and prosecute cases of nuclear and radioactive materials smuggling.

The three-day (28 – 30 June) dialogue included presentations and discussions led by experts from the US Department of State, US Federal Bureau of Investigation, the US Department of Justice, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, INTERPOL, the French Atomic Energy Commission, and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Topics for discussion included best practices for investigating nuclear smuggling networks, the role of technical nuclear forensics in supporting investigations and prosecutions, and the importance of international collaboration.

Through various initiatives such as the Nuclear Security Summits and the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, the international community has recognized prosecutions as an important and effective activity to help prevent terrorists from acquiring nuclear or other radioactive materials.

Both INTERPOL and the United States maintain robust programmes to engage partners in the counter nuclear smuggling mission.