INTERPOL training targets chemical smuggling

INTERPOL announced this week that it will begin training in Laos, Cambodia, to enhance investigative skills against illicit chemical weapons.

Under Project Chase, a program designed to combat chemical weapons smuggling, the organization will run a five-day training course from Jan. 18-22. The course is expected to be by more than 30 participants from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam — all part of a global effort to increase the capacity of police, customs, immigration, and national chemical and border security agencies to target illegal chemical weapons movement.

“Limitations of inter-agency coordination, equipment and specialized training between national agencies responsible for the prevention of chemical and explosive smuggling expose a number of areas in Southeast Asia to a heightened risk of chemical and explosive terrorism,” Alan Grimmer, coordinator for INTERPOL’s chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives sub-directorate, said. “After this training each country will have a cadre of officers who will be responsible for coordinating counter smuggling operations in their own countries, but more importantly they will also have cross-border connections with neighboring countries to be able to exchange information, quick-time, to prevent and interdict chemicals being smuggled across borders.”

Key aspects of training involve investigative methods and structure, as well as effectiveness practices and operations orders.

This is the second training course from Project Chase. The initial course was offered in September.