SANTO DOMINGO – The increasing use of commercial ports by criminal networks has led several countries to strengthen their international cooperation mechanisms. In this context, the Dominican Republic and Belgium signed an agreement aimed at strengthening customs surveillance, intelligence sharing, and joint actions against drug trafficking and other crimes linked to transnational trade.
The memorandum of understanding was signed in Brussels by the Director General of Customs of the Dominican Republic, Nelson Arroyo, and the Administrator General of Customs and Special Taxes of the Kingdom of Belgium, Kristian Vanderwaeren, and seeks to prevent, investigate and combat customs violations and transnational organized crime, with special attention to illicit drug trafficking.
Information exchange and joint operations
According to information provided by the Presidency , the memorandum establishes a framework for cooperation to strengthen the exchange of information and intelligence, develop early warning mechanisms, share risk analysis, and coordinate actions aimed at protecting the international supply chain.
According to the entity, it also contemplates carrying out coordinated operations, the exchange of experiences and best practices, as well as greater collaboration between the customs authorities of both countries in the face of the new methods used by criminal networks.
Cooperation between strategic ports
The authorities of the Dominican Republic and Belgium, in accordance with the provisions of the government institution, also expressed their interest in deepening cooperation between the port of Antwerp, one of the main logistics centers in Europe, and the Multimodal Caucedo port, considered one of the main cargo and transshipment hubs in the Caribbean.
According to official information, both nations seek to strengthen regional security and protect legitimate international trade through greater operational coordination and the ongoing exchange of intelligence.
The signing of this memorandum represents the third agreement reached between the Dominican Republic and Belgium on security and combating transnational organized crime in recent months, following agreements previously signed between police forces and authorities linked to maritime security.
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