We are presented the European Union’s experience relating to the international protection of female witnesses and victims of organised crime. EL PAcCTO is working on a protection order for all cases in the Mercosur area and associated states (Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay).

At the meeting, the programme followed up on the joint work and activities carried out since 2017: more than 200 activities in which various topics were addressed, such as criminal analysis, international legal cooperation, alternative measures to imprisonment, human trafficking, environmental crime and crime related to cultural assets.

Aware of the need to increase the use of these measures to reduce prison overcrowding, representatives of institutions in the criminal justice system from these three countries have met under the technical coordination of EL PAcCTO to advance in forming the ITCs. This will ensure a more effective management of Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) who belong to organised criminal groups.

After a year of tackling prescription drug trafficking, the results achieved by Operation Link II were presented at an event attended by over 85 liaison officers at the regional and European levels. This joint action has made it possible to coordinate operations in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama and the Dominican Republic through control bodies such as customs, health services, police forces and ministries of the interior or equivalent, together with judges and prosecutors.

A delegation from the Chilean Gendarmerie, headed by the national director Christian Alveal Gutiérrez and the head of intelligence, Colonel Renán Sepúlveda, along with the EL PAcCTO team, have held a meeting that has resulted in important advances in the fight against Transnational Organised Crime (TOC).