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Fighting organised crime: Germany and Peru intend to conclude security agreement
press release 28 February 2024
Federal Minister of the Interior Faeser and Peruvian Interior Minister Torres Falcón sign declaration of intent
Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser is currently visiting the Peruvian capital, Lima, on the second stop of her tour of South America. After her talks with President Dina Boluarte, Prime Minister Alberto Otárola, Interior Minister Víctor Torres Falcón and Foreign Minister Javier Gónzalez-Olaechea Franco, Minister Faeser joined Minister Torres Falcón in signing a joint declaration of intent between Germany and Peru to open negotiations about a security agreement.
Germany’s comprehensive police cooperation with Peru aims to clamp down not only on organised crime and the narcotics trade, but also on the weapons trade, human trafficking, money laundering and environmental crimes. The two countries agreed on a close exchange of information on the methods and approaches of organised crime groups. They also agreed to promote training and further education programmes, as well as international cooperation projects to fight transnational organised crime.
Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser said: "We want to form a security partnership between Germany and Peru to stop the ruthless criminal networks. I’m very pleased that we are intensifying our direct police cooperation with Peru and will be concluding a comprehensive security agreement. We want to fight organised crime and drug trafficking together in the future. For us, Peru is a key partner in the fight against drug-related crime."
We are deeply concerned about the massive volume of cocaine being imported from South America. These drugs destroy people’s lives and generate huge profits for organised crime groups. That is why I advocate for stronger action against trafficking in cocaine and other drugs, as well as greater international coordination. We must prevent these quantities of drugs from arriving at our ports. At the same time, we want to help reduce the destruction that drug cartels bring to the countries of origin and transit through violence, corruption and environmental devastation."
Federal Minister Faeser is in South America until 2 March 2024, with political talks in Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.
In order to successfully combat illegal drug trafficking from South America to Germany and Europe, closer cooperation is needed between the countries of origin, transit and destination – on both the political and operational levels. For this reason, Federal Minister Faeser is joined on her visit by Vice-President of the Federal Criminal Police (BKA) Martina Link.
The volume of drugs seized has remained at a very high level at the ports of Antwerp (Belgium) and Rotterdam (the Netherlands), Europe’s main gateways for cocaine. In the Belgian city of Antwerp alone, 116 tonnes of cocaine were seized in 2023. Around 59 tonnes were seized in the Netherlands, and about 35 tonnes in Germany.
Along with Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Italy and Spain, Germany is part of the Coalition of European countries against serious and organised crime. Federal Minister Faeser will host the next ministerial meeting of this coalition in Hamburg on 7 May 2024; port security and the resilience of logistical hubs will play an important role at the meeting.
