A great success for all stakeholders involved: the OPFA WASTE 3-day workshop “Drones Against Illicit Waste Trafficking”, organized in conjunction with the RUNNER Project and with the support of the DronEUnit, concluded on a positive note.
The workshop saw the participation of stakeholders from the illicit waste trafficking field, both from the private and the public sphere, and boasted the presence of high-level speakers from OLAF, Interpol, Frontex, as well as practitioners from the judiciary sector. Moreover, thanks to the synergy with another SAFE-managed training project part of the EU Euromed Justice programme, judges and prosecutors from Europe, Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia were able to bring insights from the Mediterranean perspective.
More than 70 participants attended, and had the unique chance to exchange views, foster cooperation and promote networking.
After two days of significant discussions and roundtables, the third day staged practical simulations of drones at the former NATO base Calvarina (Roncà, Verona).
The very last part of the workshop was dedicated to the last review of the OPFA WASTE investigative methodology on Illicit Waste Trafficking, aiming not only at standardizing operative procedures to tackle the issue, but also at building on the work already done under the EMPACT framework, the RUNNER project and the project Operational Facility’s supported activities. The final presentation of the investigative methodology is foreseen in June 2022.
Thank you to all participants for their contribution, to SAFE Foundation for its organization and planning, and to the EU and OLAF, who made this workshop possible through their funding.
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