SABAUDIA, ITALY (WAM)
The Ministry of Interior (MOI), in collaboration with Italian police, concluded a two-week training programme titled “Transnational Environmental Crime: A Security Challenge” in Sabaudia, Italy, on Friday.
Held from October 19 to 30 at the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Protection, part of the Carabinieri Forestry School, the programme aimed to strengthen participants' capabilities in combating transnational environmental crime and enhance international police cooperation.
The programme aimed to strengthen participants’ capabilities in combating transnational environmental crime and enhance international police coordination through exposure to advanced expertise and specialised practices in the field.
The training combined theoretical lectures with practical exercises covering the responsibilities of the Carabinieri Forestry, Environmental, and Agri-food Unit, including protecting forests and national parks and combating illegal trafficking in waste and endangered species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Sessions also addressed forest fire prevention and investigation, illegal logging, encroachment on natural resources, international legal frameworks, and cooperation between police and judicial authorities.
The programme highlighted the role of international organisations and platforms, including Europol, Interpol, Eurojust, and the IMPACT platform, in facilitating operational information exchange and coordinating efforts to combat crimes that harm the environment.
Practical training included field visits to protected areas, including Circeo National Park, where participants received instruction in environmental patrols, monitoring, investigation techniques, evidence collection, and procedures for investigating offences in protected areas.