OSCE trains Albanian law enforcement on seizure of criminal assets derived from human trafficking

An OSCE seminar on financial investigation and seizure of criminal assets related to different form of human trafficking was held with Albanian police, prosecutors, judges and financial investigators on 17 April 2013 in Tirana.

“Enabling law enforcement institutions to track illicit money flow from human trafficking more effectively and strengthening measures to confiscate the proceeds of crime serves two key aims - depriving criminal organizations of operating capital and recovering funds that may be used to relieve the victims,” said Knut Dreyer, Senior Police Adviser of the OSCE.

“In recent years, Albania has undertaken significant, commendable efforts in the fight against human trafficking at legislative and operational levels. The proposed changes to the Criminal Code should increase the prosecution rates of all forms of human trafficking, regardless of whether it occurs within or across country borders. Nevertheless, the fight against this crime demands more effective co-operation, at home and abroad,” said Ambassador Eugen Wollfarth, Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania.

The seminar was organized by the OSCE’s Transnational Threats Department/Strategic Police Matters Unit together with the OSCE Presence in Albania, and led by experts from the UK, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It follows on a similar international training event held in Prague in July 2012.