The Brazilian and Belgian Federal Police are looking to create joint teams of Belgian and Brazilian police officers that will investigate the criminal organisations active in trafficking cocaine between the two countries.
The head of the Brazilian Federal Police, Dr Mauricio Leite Valeixo, visited the Belgian Federal Police to look into Joint Investigation Teams, made up of Belgian and Brazilian police investigators working together, according to a statement made by the Federal Police.
The Belgian Federal Police visited both the Brazil and Colombia police forces in June 2019, as part of the efforts of both police forces to intensify the mutual cooperation in the fight against international cocaine trafficking.
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Brazil is an important transit country for the illegal export of cocaine from Latin America to West-Europe, and after Colombia the second most important one using the Antwerp port, the Federal Police said.
The Belgian Federal Police is investing more resources into tackling cocaine trafficking in source and transit countries in Latin America. In 2018, more than 50 tonnes of cocaine were seized in South America that were destined for the port of Antwerp.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times