From June 3 to 6,2024, 22 officials participated in the Course on Combating Trafficking in Arms and Ammunition (CTAM), organized by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Peru.
Participants included personnel from the Puno region’s SUNAT-Customs, the Army, the Navy, the National Intelligence Directorate, the National Police of Peru, the National Superintendency for the Control of Security Services, Arms, Ammunition, and Explosives for Civilian Use (SUCAMEC), and local surveillance services (Serenazgo). They shared their experiences and challenges in addressing the issue of illicit arms trafficking.
During the opening of the event, the Coordinator of the Presidency of the National Commission against the Illicit Manufacturing and Trafficking of Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives and Other Related Materials (CONATIAF) expressed gratitude to UNLIREC and the Government of Germany for their support. She encouraged participants to share innovative initiatives that may arise from the course.
CTAM provided national authorities with valuable knowledge and tools, covering the global and regional landscape of arms trafficking, methods of illicit arms manufacturing, systems for controlling and documenting international transfers of firearms and ammunition, and tools and mechanisms for international cooperation against firearms trafficking.
This edition of CTAM featured presentations from the National Intelligence Directorate and the Directorate of Security and Defense of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They discussed the current trends and challenges related to illicit arms trafficking in Peru, along with measures and policies being implemented to combat this crime.
INTERPOL also contributed to the course bypresenting its Firearms Programme, which highlighted essential resources for the registration and tracing of weapons, as well as the outcomes of recent operations in Latin America. This collaborative environment fostered inter-institutional information exchange and promoted international cooperation.
This activity is part of the project “Support for the Implementation of Subregional, Regional, and Global Instruments and Frameworks Related to the Control and Management of Small Arms and Ammunition in in Latin America and the Caribbean”, funded by Germany.