Development project to prevent organised and professional cross-border crime
Funded by Euregio Karelia Neighbourhood Programme 2001-2006

Objective of the project

The goal of the project was to increase safety in the programme area and in the areas in the immediate vicinity of the border crossing point.

Main activities

• to develop the professional and technical capacity • to identify, prevent and stop cross-border drug crimes and to improve co-operation with crime management officials in the Sortavala region by developing the co-operation model and improving information flow

Achievements

The project was completed in co-operation with the Sortavala Prosecutor's Office. An opportunity to become familiar with the National Bureau of Investigation's operational principles and methods was made available to the Sortavala crime-fighting officials and similarly, the Joensuu Unit personnel of the National Bureau of Investigation was able to become familiar with the Sortavala crime-fighting officials' operational procedures and methods in Sortavala and Kostomuksha. On both sides of the border, in Joensuu, Sortavala and Petrozavodsk, several work meetings and get-togethers were held with different officials of the Russian Federation in order to improve information exchange. Through the project, technical equipment and devices such as GPS equipment, an IR torch, cameras and voice recorders were purchased for the use of the Joensuu Unit of the National Bureau of Investigation in order to monitor and uncover criminal activity. Additional acquisitions included two Analyst's Note Book software packages with licenses along with a computer in order to enable analysis of criminal connections and information. Training was also arranged for the users of the equipment. The project increased expertise of the Joensuu Unit of the National Bureau of Investigation in fighting cross-border crime, strengthened the creation of an empowered network of officials, improved operational information exchange with Russians through work meetings and created communication channels.