Part III: How a joined-up approach can tackle the global drug and organised crime problem

Part III of this series clenches the case for strategic long-term approaches to surveillance that are likely to curtail otherwise dangerous and costly covert activity and the rarified levels of officialdom demanded of these exercises, and instead advances a clear-minded way ahead through step-by-step measures among willing partners. A stratagem of uninterrupted and integrated surveillance is promoted as a measure that is both necessary and proportional to the threat level. This move is consistent with Inter-American Charter principles governing cooperative security and the regime of United Nations and Hemispheric agreements surrounding counter-narcotics, transnational organized crime, corruption and terrorism. The grand design is built upon a legacy of time-tested partnerships among the United States, Canada, the European Union, and Latin American and Caribbean partners, all of which are demonstrably committed to bi-regional cooperation. In point of fact, the chances of succeeding in imminent Latin America-Caribbean phases of EU-funded schemes, such as the Airport Communication Program (AIRCOP) and the Seaport Communication Program (SEACOP) - either of which has registered successes in raising the capacity of beneficiary law enforcement bodies and intercepting cocaine flows via sea and air vectors in West Africa - would be contingent upon systemic information and intelligence sharing. The same would pave the way for more coordinated action among national and regional agencies and just as importantly, trans-regionally.

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