During January and February 2022, within the project Support the national capacities in addressing migrant smuggling and other transnational organized crime in North Macedonia, funded by the Kingdom of Netherlands five gender-sensitive capacity-building trainings on migrant smuggling and other transnational organized crime were organized for the National Unit for Suppression of Migrant Smuggling and Trafficking in Human Beings, including representatives from the Public prosecutor’s Office and the detached officers from the Regional centers of the Border Police.

The curriculum focused mainly on the phenomena of trafficking in human beings and smuggling of migrants, including topics such as indicators for detection of cross-border crime, including migrant smuggling, data analysis and exchange, international cooperation in the field of cross-border crime, information gathering, intelligence activities, investigation methods pertaining to countering transnational organized crime, including special investigation methods etc. This capacity-building effort will continue in the following months, covering over ninety relevant law enforcement officers and building on the previous conducted capacity building interventions and contributing to further enhancement of law enforcement officials’ skills and knowledge in addressing cross-border crime, particularly in the detection and international cooperation in migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings.

Through the engagement of a seasoned consultant with immense experience in the area, the participants were exposed to best practices and lessons learnt in the area of suppressing smuggling of migrants and trafficking in human beings, enhancing their skills and knowledge and providing a sustainable knowledge base in the relevant stakeholder institutions.