National Crime Agency (NCA) from the United Kingdom created an International Project, based on a prevention campaign meant to raise awareness against human trafficking and cross border criminality. This project was launched in Romania in collaboration with local partners from the General Inspectorate of the Romanian Border Police and the National Agency Against Human Trafficking.
The International Project has been conceptualised and is lead by an NCA Team from the United Kingdom, and it aims to prevent illegal migration, human trafficking, and other forms of cross border criminality. This is realised by informing transporters of the risks to which they and the people they are trafficking are exposed to, in situations when they agree to embark on such illegal activities.
Prevention plays an integral part of the project, aiming to deter people who might be tempted to involve themselves in illegal activities such as international human trafficking, illegal migration or any other activities that can make the object of crime. This goal is realised by making people aware of the consequences to which they are exposing themselves, even when their role is that of a simple transporter.
The project’s prevention campaign was realised through a communication campaign, utilising leaflets which were distributed to transporters with partner support from the Romanian Border Police. Border Police Officers from the Nădlac II border crossing point, are helping by distributing the leaflets to transporters passing through the check point. The message of the project was also popularised through on-line distribution, both on the official website of the Romanian Border Police and through other official and media channels.
Through information contained on the leaflet, transporters are encouraged to report any suspicious activities related to human trafficking or illegal migration, which they might encounter while being stationary in parking lots, close to a border crossing point or even while they are on route to a crossing point. They are also instructed to report such activities to the phone number 021.9590, which is always available, and which was provided by partners from the General Inspectorate of The Border Police.
In case of the leaflet, transporters can easily scan the QR code present on both sides, to learn more information about the project, risks to which they might be exposed to, what activities can be considered suspicious and why it is important to report them. Same process can be achieved by accessing the web link present within the on-line version of the campaign.
The project was first launched between law enforcement institutions on the 17th of April, at the headquarters of the Territorial Service of the Arad Border Police. Among the attendees, there were partners from the central structure of the Romanian Border Police and partners from the National Agency Against Human Trafficking.
Its noteworthy to mention that the decision for launching the international project in Romania, with the help of Romanian authorities, has been facilitated by several factors such as Romania’s geo-strategical position within the region, but also because of a longstanding and efficient cooperation already present between the United Kingdom and Romania within the law enforcement field.
