Category: Institutional

A delegation from the EU-WCO Colibri Project recently visited the Centre’s Headquarters. The main topic on the agenda was to boost discussions surrounding the potential establishment of a Cooperation Agreement between the two entities, while also delving into best practices pertaining to general aviation. This meeting marks a significant step in enhancing international collaboration to…

Vice-Admiral Juan Ricardo Rozo Obregón, Second Commander in Chief of the Estado Mayor of the Colombian Navy, was recently received by the Executive Director of MAOC-N at the Centre’s Headquarters in Lisbon. The Colombian delegation was briefed by one of MAOC-N’s intelligence analysts on its recent activities and operations, with a view to strengthening and…

The Ambassador of Denmark to Portugal, Ms. Maria Tarp, was recently received by the Executive Director of MAOC-N, Mr. Sjoerd Top, at the Centre’s headquarters in Lisbon. Ambassador Tarp was briefed by the Analyst Team Leader on some of the Centre’s past and current operations, with a particular focus on the vulnerabilities in the Gulf…

Following an interview on May 2023, the French newspaper “Libération” has written an article featuring the Centre’s work in combating maritime drug trafficking. Among other remarks, the article says: «En quinze ans d’existence, l’agence a été impliquée dans la saisie de près de 312 tonnes de cocaïne (valeur marchande estimée à 21 milliards d’euros), dont…

Rear Admiral Jo-Ann Burdian, the assistant commandant for response policy, visited MAOC-N during her last stay in Lisbon accompanied by a delegation from the US Coast Guard. The Rear Admiral, who is responsible for the development of strategic response doctrine and policy guidance for all Coast Guard forces, was briefed on the MAOC-N work, the…

Last week, the AQUAPOL Director Lt. Col. Jean-Pierre di Gregorio (FR Gendarmerie) accompanied by Lt Col Paco Toledo (ES Guardia Civil) and Cécile Tournaye (management team), visited MAOC-N headquarters in Lisbon, in a meeting that served to present the work of both EU projects and assess where further cooperation could be developed in the near…

Last week, the MAOC-N Analyst Team Leader welcomed Mr. António Morais, Coordinator of the Europol/Interpol Office in Portugal, and Ms. Helena Gravato, Head of National Central Bureau (NCB) Interpol Lisbon, at the Centre’s Headquarters in Lisbon for a collaborative meeting. Both Mr. Morais and Ms. Gravato were accompanied by the Portuguese Country Liaison Officer to…

On July 7th, Assistant Commissioner Justin Kelly from the Irish Organised & Serious Crime (OSC) An Garda Sìochàna, visited the Centre’s Headquarters accompanied by Detective Superintendent Sé McCormack and Detective Superintendent Steven Meighan, from the Garda National Drugs & Organised Crime Bureau [GNDOCB]. During his visit to MAOC-N, the Assistant Commissioner was briefed on some…

Last week, a high-level Ecuadorian delegation visited MAOC-N to discuss and explore the possibility of establishing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the near future. Representatives from various Ecuadorian ministries – including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Defense, the National Police, the Ecuadorian Prosecutors Office, and EUDEL Ecuador…

MAOC-N recently welcomed a visit from the EU General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union. During the visit, the EU General Secretariat delegation gained insights into MAOC-N’s operational actions – including recent operations and information sharing to combat drug trafficking and organized crime at sea – and received updates on the latest developments,…