Cooperation among border agencies, whether internally or internationally, is important to ensure the reinforcement of border/cross-border codes and to handle joint investigations of any occurring violations, when needed.
For several years, EUBAM Rafah has directed its activities towards building the capacities of the different agencies in the field of border control and the strengthening of external borders. In that context, the Mission concluded a 3-day-training on Joint Investigation Teams (JIT) for border-related criminality at GABC Training Center in Jericho between the 24th and 26th of June.
What is a Joint Investigation Team? A JIT is an international cooperation tool established for a limited duration and for a specific purpose based on an agreement between judicial and law enforcement authorities of two or more states in order to carry out criminal investigations in one or more of the involved states. JITs facilitate the coordination of the concurrent investigations and prosecutions conducted in several states or in cases with a cross-border dimension.
Five experienced prosecutors and twelve of the most skilled investigators from PA border agencies attended the training and learnt about this investigative tool. All participants worked jointly on hypothetical scenarios developed specifically to support the different lessons. The training was delivered by two international experts; Mr Ola Laurell – former Chief Prosecutor in Sweden and former representative of its country at EUROJUST and Mrs Petra Sesek from the JITs Network Secretariat in The Haque, Netherland.
