Combating drug trafficking and organized crime discussed in Yerevan
Discussions on combating drug trafficking and organized crime took place in Yerevan. President Maia Sandu attended the second meeting of the European Coalition against Drugs, which was held alongside the European Political Community summit in Yerevan.
During the meeting, leaders reaffirmed that addressing illicit financial flows, money laundering, and corruption is a vital part of a comprehensive anti-drug strategy.
According to the Chisinau Presidency, senior officials emphasized that mechanisms for sanctioning the proceeds of crime from individuals and organizations involved in drug trafficking should be adopted by as many countries as possible, including a proposal currently being developed at the European Union level.
They also committed to harmonizing procedures for confiscating assets derived from criminal activities and managing these funds, ensuring that national law enforcement agencies and prevention programs can directly benefit from the recovered resources.
Particular emphasis was placed on strengthening operational collaboration among Coalition member states and improving information exchange, especially regarding the use of cryptocurrencies for money laundering.
The Republic of Moldova's participation in this meeting is part of Chisinau's ongoing efforts to combat cross-border crime. Like other European countries, Moldova faces threats from drug trafficking and organized criminal networks due to its geographical position and regional security pressures. Combating these issues is a national priority, and cooperation at the European level is essential to enhancing domestic efforts, as emphasized by the Presidency of the Republic of Moldova.
The European Coalition against Drugs was launched on the sidelines of the European Political Community summit in Yerevan. This coalition was founded in October 2022 in Copenhagen, at the initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, as a collective response from European leaders to the increasingly serious threats posed by drug trafficking and organized crime.
