Category: Institutional

MAOC-N was pleased to welcome Hans Leijtens, Executive Director of FRONTEX, for a visit to the Centre’s headquarters in Lisbon. The visit formed part of the ongoing dialogue between the MAOC-N and FRONTEX, offering an opportunity to exchange perspectives on international drug trafficking and the operational challenges emerging across the maritime domain. Mr Leijtens was…

MAOC-N had the honour of hosting the Belgian Minister of Security and the Interior, Mr Bernard Quintin, for a high-level visit to the Centre this week. The Minister was accompanied by the Belgian Ambassador to Portugal, Mr Bart Lammens, and the Consul-General, Ms Nadia Benini, marking a significant moment in the growing cooperation between Belgium…

Last week, MAOC-N held its Executive Board Meeting in Lisbon. The event brought together senior representatives from the member countries to discuss ongoing operations, strategic developments, and future initiatives in the fight against maritime drug trafficking. On the second evening of the meeting, MAOC-N hosted the Medal of Excellence Ceremony, an occasion dedicated to recognising…

Admiral Jean-Baptiste Soubrier, who commands the French Armed Forces in the Antilles, recently paid a visit to MAOC-N. During the meeting, the Admiral had the opportunity to delve into the operations conducted at the Centre and the cooperation efforts among partner countries aimed at combating international organised crime in the maritime domain. The MAOC-N Executive…

The Executive Director of MAOC-N recently welcomed Ms Cristina Iampieri, Head of the Passenger and Cargo Control Programme within the Division of Operations at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), to its Headquarters in Lisbon this week. Ms Iampieri was accompanied by Ms Kate Meredith, Global Programme Head at UNODC, who promoted…

MAOC (N) had the pleasure of welcoming a delegation from Ecuador’s Fusion Centre to its headquarters, as part of ongoing cooperation to strengthen the fight against transnational organised crime. As part of EU-funded project EUFORT-EC, the Ecuadorian Fusion Centre is an initiative aimed at integrating a shared information platform between Ecuadorian institutions to monitor and…

The Chief of Staff of the Portuguese Navy, Admiral Jorge Nobre de Sousa, visited the Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (Narcotics) (MAOC-N), in a meeting that served to reinforce cooperation and discuss joint efforts to combat maritime drug trafficking. During the visit, Admiral Nobre de Sousa was briefed on MAOC-N’s recent operations, intelligence-sharing practices, and…

MAOC (N) had the pleasure of welcoming Rob Jones, Director General of Operations at the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA), to its headquarters in Lisbon on 6 October 2025. During the visit, Mr Jones met with MAOC (N)’s Executive Director, Jose Ferreira, and was briefed on the pivotal role of MAOC-N in coordinating efforts…

The Executive Director of MAOC-N hosted Hugues Moret, Special Envoy of President Emmanuel Macron for the European Political Community (Communauté Politique Européenne – CPE) at the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. During the visit, Mr Moret was welcomed to MAOC-N’s headquarters and received a briefing on the Centre’s operational activities and strategic priorities.…

MAOC (N) recently welcomed a delegation from the Maritime Intelligence Fusion Center Atlantic (MIFCLANT) for an operational briefing and exchange of expertise. The visiting delegation, composed of US Coast Guard officers, included Captain Benjamin Golightly (MIFCLANT) and Captain Matthew A Michaelis (USAFRICOM). During the visit, a MAOC (N)’s Head Analyst provided an overview of the…