At the start of June, the GNR (National Republican Guard) hosted a meeting of the Europe Latin America Assistance Program against Transnational Organized Crime (EL PAcCTO), which promotes cooperation between Europe and Latin America in the prevention and combat against environmental crimes.


EL PAcCTO is a mutual assistance programme signed between Europe and 18 Latin American countries, focusing on swapping intelligence, development of joint operations, exchange of experience and good practices, and the facilitation of international cooperation.


After drug trafficking and contraband, environmental crime is the third most profitable practice in the world for organised crime groups.

Activities such as illegal wood and exotic protected species trafficking, or clandestine gold mining have an estimated net worth between one hundred and ten, and two hundred and eighty one billion dollars.


The meeting hosted by the GNR tackled issues such as the mapping of transnational clandestine routes, the nature of criminal organisations, and the development of international cooperative frameworks to combat crime.