Targeting operational responses to drug markets and associated criminality

• Author: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EU body or agency), Europol (EU body or agency)
• Pages: 210-220

210

As the production, tracking, distribution and use of illicit

drugs continue to evolve, so too does the EU’s response

to it. is chapter provides some examples of how key

problems associated with drug markets that have been

highlighted earlier in the report are being addressed at an

operational level.

Europol’s role in drug-related

operational activity

Countering the production, tracking and distribution

of drugs is akey priority for the EU and Member States

in the ght against serious and organised crime. As the

EU’s Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation, Europol

supports the Member States with awide range of services

and acts as the information hub for the exchange of

intelligence on serious and organised crime, cybercrime

and terrorism in the EU.

Europol supports drug investigations across the EU

working with amultitude of agencies in the Member States

and non-EU partners such as law enforcement agencies

in Australia, Canada, Colombia, the United States and

elsewhere. Adedicated team of analysts and specialists

support investigators in their investigations into cannabis,

cocaine, heroin, new psychoactive substances, synthetic

drugs and other illicit drugs. Europol is the key intelligence-

sharing platform for criminal intelligence at the European

level and its sophisticated databases regularly deliver vital

leads to support drug investigations in the Member States.

In addition to the regular support delivered to the Member

States by Europol in drug investigations, anumber of

operational activities and innovations highlight how joint

international responses to drug-related criminality are

aimed at disrupting drug markets and those OCGs and

other criminals that sustain these markets.

Europol’s bold response and Programme

Board

In December 2016, the European Commission published

amid-term assessment of the EU drugs strategy 2013-20

and anal evaluation of the drug action plan 2013-16.

Ageneral conclusion was that law enforcement cooperation

appears to be improving but with no strong impact on the

problem. ere are no signs of reduction in the supply of

drugs, seizures are not increasing and the number of drug-

related oences is growing.

As aresult, the Executive Director of Europol tasked its

Serious and Organised Crime Centre with drawing up

ideas for how to signicantly improve the strategic and

operational approach of the Member State community,

Europol and the EU policy cycle in this area. Ateam of

experts from various Europol directorates conducted

an assessment and produced the report ‘Toward abold

Europol response to drugs in Europe’, which contained

anumber of recommendations. e report was endorsed

by the Executive Director, who asked for aplan to be drawn

up for implementing the recommendations. Akey role

for the implementation process is expected to be played

by aDrugs Programme Board, in order to achieve the

objectives of the whole exercise.

Europol is increasingly called upon by Member States to

provide operational support in complex high-prole and

polycriminal investigations, which are resource-intensive

and require specialised skills in anumber of domains. is

includes tactical, technical and nancial support provided

both from headquarters and on the spot.

CHAPTER 9

Targeting operational responses

to drug markets and associated

criminality

EU DRUG MARKETS REPORT