Between 1 and 5 February 2021, UNLIREC, in coordination with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), virtually held the Interdicting Small Arms, Ammunition, Parts and Components Course (ISAAPCC). The course was directed at X-ray operators and border control officials from Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Peru and the Dominican Republic, who perform control and inspection functions at entry, exit and transit points in those countries.
The ISAAPCC is offered as part of the technical assistance provided by UNLIREC to Latin American and Caribbean States to contribute to strengthening their capacities to combat and prevent the illicit trafficking in small arms and ammunition.
This specialized course trained 30 national agents from the aforementioned countries, who also belong to the network of delegates of the UNODC AIRCOP and Container Control Programmes.
Based on a theoretical-practical methodology, this group of operators received training on the fundamental aspects of X-ray technology, technical specifications on small arms, their parts and components, ammunition, as well as explosives and concealment methods. Participants also received practical training via an online platform developed by the Centre for Adaptive Security Research and Applications (CASRA), whereby they developed their skills to effectively recognize these types of threats.
It should be noted that this specialized course has been designed considering international standards and good practices on the importance of continuous training for X-ray scanner operators, to achieve optimal levels of security at strategic points, thereby helping to reduce levels of firearm-related crime and violence.
This virtual edition of the ISAAPCC was made possible thanks to the financial support from the United Kingdom Border Force Agency.