The Southeast Europe Cooperative Initiative Regional Center for Combating Trans-border Crime, the SECI Center, is a unique operational organization which facilitates the rapid exchange of information between law enforcement agencies from different countries regarding trans-border criminal cases.
The SECI Center coordinates regional operations, putting together the resources of the 12 SEE member countries in order to dismantle organized crime networks.
The SECI Center operational activities are conducted within the frames of seven Task Forces addressing issues of drugs and human beings trafficking, stolen vehicles, smuggling and customs fraud, financial and computer crime, terrorism and container security.
The SECI Center issues analysis and reports on specific areas targeting organized crime, and organizes trainings for member countries’ law enforcement representatives.
Mission
We assemble the power of 12 nations’ law enforcement agencies and add the value of experts, thus building together a strong weapon against criminality. We commit ourselves to sustain the Southeast European countries’ declared war against organized crime and to strengthen the law enforcement capabilities for countering organized crime.
How the SECI Center works
The SECI Center’s network is composed of the Liaison Officers of Police and Customs Authorities from the member countries, supported by 12 National Focal Points established in each member state. The NFP representatives stay in permanent contact with the liaison officers in the headquarters and keep close relationships with the police and customs authority in the host country.
The National Focal Points assure the rapid information flow, by collecting and distributing the information requests and answers from and to the law enforcement agencies and the headquarters liaison officers.
Advantages of the SECI Center
- Uniqueness - The SECI Center is the only international law enforcement organization which brings together police and customs representatives
- Efficiency - The 12 member countries representatives meet each other daily in the same working place
- Competence - The use of SECI Center speeds up the exchange of information process. Statistics prove that the time is reduced up to 80 percents than in bilateral cases
- Facility – The SECI Agreement ensures the necessary legal framework for all types of cooperation in the law enforcement area
- Cooperation – The SECI Center works as a platform for experience sharing and common trainings
- Expertise – The member countries take advantages of the SECI Center’s know-how on countering organized crime in the South-east Europe
- Security – The SECI Center’s communication system is a fast, high encrypted and cost-effective communication tool
- Assistance – The SECI Center provides logistical support for joint investigations.
Objectives:
- Setting-up a mechanism based on enhanced law enforcement cooperation at national level to be used by the Parties in order to assist one each other, in preventing detecting, investigating, prosecuting and repressing trans-border crime.
- Support the field activities of the law enforcement officers
- Provide assistance to the Parties in order to harmonize their law enforcement legislation in respect to the EU requirements.
- Support national efforts in order to improve domestic cooperation between law enforcement agencies.
- Support the specialized “Task Forces”:
TF on Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling
Anti Drugs Trafficking TF
Anti Fraud and Anti Smuggling TF
Financial and Computer Crime TF
TF on Stolen Vehicles
Anti Terrorism TF
Container Security TF
