BOGOTA, Colombia – Addressing regional organized crime and terrorist threats was the focus of discussions between Colombian President Ivan Duque Márquez and INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock.
With Colombia one of the highest users of INTERPOL’s global databases, the INTERPOL Chief said the country provided a model for law enforcement agencies around the world.
Every police officer across the country benefits from direct access to INTERPOL’s network, resulting in some 111 million nominal checks having been carried out in the first five months of 2019.
“Ensuring that police on the ground have access to INTERPOL’s global databases means that every officer can instantly access vital policing information from around the world,” said Secretary General Stock.
“This, combined with their strong participation in regional and global INTERPOL-led operations puts Colombia at the forefront of international policing,” added the INTERPOL Chief.
A recent example was Operation Trigger V which targeted illegal firearms trafficking across Latin America.
In addition to the seizure of 857 firearms, among the key arrests was the individual known as ‘Zeus o Mono’, suspected of heading a transnational arms trafficking ring responsible for supplying weapons to the National Liberation Army (ELN) in Colombia.
During his mission to Bogota, Secretary General Stock visited the General Francisco de Paula Santander Police Academy where in January this year 21 people were killed and dozens injured following a car bomb attack.
The INTERPOL Chief also signed an agreement with the Policia Nacional, making Colombia the first country to officially support the INTERPOL Global Academy, which will bring together recognized global and regional academies specialized in law enforcement training.
To date Colombia has already trained more than 15,000 police officers from Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama.
