Maputo, 17 Feb – The Italian government has disbursed 350, 000 Euros (425,200 dollars at the current exchange rate) to support Mozambique’s National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) in its efforts to fight against drug trafficking.
The disbursement is the result of cooperation between the Italian government, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and SERNIC, in a partnership aimed at strengthening operational capabilities and results against organized and drug trafficking.
According to Gabriele Annis, Italian Ambassador to Mozambique, speaking to reporters on Monday, after visiting SERNIC laboratories in Maputo, the project is aimed at providing the Mozambican authorities with more effective tools to tackle the international phenomenon of drug trafficking, consolidating both bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
“This project is strategic as it will make the response to crime more effective, coordinated, and modern. It will not be based solely on Italy’s financial support, but also on sharing its long experience in combating organized crime”, he said.
The project, scheduled to last one year, focuses on four key areas: technical reinforcement for better methods for analyzing and investigating complex cases; greater institutional coordination for enhanced communication and cooperation throughout the criminal justice chain; International cooperation focused on specialized training and experience sharing with Italian authorities; and a digital dimension focused on combating the growing use of digital tools by criminal networks.
Antonio de Vivo, Head of the UNODC Office, said that main focus will be on technical and forensic aspects and “through the provision of state-of-the-art technological equipment and training in SERNIC laboratories, Mozambican technicians will be able to identify illegal substances and instruments of crime, such as weapons, more quickly and reliably.”
For his part, the SERNIC General Director, Ilídio Miguel, said that this support is crucial because it includes reforms in the prison system and exchange of experiences between the two parties.
(AIM)
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