SALW Control Roadmap 2030
Back to project list

Support for increased international cooperation in criminal matters (UNODC and INTERPOL)

Duration

1 July 2021 - 31 December 2023

Beneficiary/ies

Western Balkan jurisdictions

Donor/s

Multi-Partner Trust Fund

Funding Amount

USD 1,604,153

Funding gaps (if any)

N/A

Objective/s

The project’s goal is to improve criminal justice response in the Western Balkans and thus counter illicit trafficking of firearms. The specific objectives of the project are to enhance cooperation in criminal matters through increased information exchange on illicit firearms, research and analysis of illicit trafficking flows and increased detection of firearms, their parts and ammunition in postal and fast courier parcels.

Contributing to the Roadmap goal/s

Goal 2 - By 2024, ensure that arms control policies and practices in the Western Balkans are evidence based and intelligence led.
Goal 3 - By 2024, significantly reduce illicit flows of firearms, ammunition and explosives (FAE) into, within and beyond the Western Balkans. 

Contributing to the Roadmap overall targets

Goal 2

  • All Police services of the Western Balkans connected and regularly input their data on lost and stolen firearms to INTERPOL's Illicit Arms Records, Tracing Management System (iARMS).
  • Institutionalize systematic collection of criminal justice data across the Criminal Justice Sector.

Goal 3.

  • Prevent trafficking (smuggling, illicit trade and transit) of FAE through improved processes, equipment and training of targeted law enforcement units.
  • Strengthen existing bilateral, regional and international mechanisms and encouraging new forms of good practice to counter trafficking of firearms.

Key activities implemented up to date

  • UNODC and INTERPOL have organized a joint project inception meeting.
  • INTERPOL has finalized the assessments in Albania, BiH, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia on extending the access to the Illicit Arms Records and tracing Management System (iARMS) to law enforcement agencies through the extension of the i24/7 secure network.
  • INTERPOL has procured and delivered equipment to Albania, BiH, Montenegro and North Macedonia for extending of I-24/7 and access to iARMS.
  • UNODC finalized the needs assessment reports for preventing trafficking of firearms, their parts, components and ammunition through postal and courier shipments in 4 jurisdictions, and the reports were endorsed by relevant authorities.
  • UNODC and the WB jurisdictions identified priorities for addressing the recommendations from the report and UNODC prepared a project proposal for the MPTF.
  • INTERPOL has delivered 5 national INTERPOL training courses on the use of the iARMS database.
  • INTERPOL and UNODC have jointly delivered a regional training-of-trainers on the importance of embedding the use of INTERPOL tools and firearms data into broader investigative approaches and intelligence analysis work.