During her visit to the Brazilian capital Brasília, Federal Minister of the Interior and Community Nancy Faeser and Brazil’s Minister of Justice and Public Security Enrique Ricardo Lewandowski signed a declaration of intent on increased police cooperation to combat organised crime and drug trafficking. This declaration focuses on increasing the use of joint investigation teams (JIT). In addition, the two countries agreed on a close exchange of information on the methods and approaches of organised crime groups. They also agreed to promote training and further education programmes.

By intensifying police cooperation, the aim is to clamp down not only on the narcotics trade, but also on the weapons trade, human trafficking, money laundering and environmental crimes.

Federal Minister Faeser said: "I am very pleased that we are intensifying our direct police cooperation with Brazil. In future, we want to strengthen the fight against organised crime and drug trafficking through joint investigation teams – from the very beginning of investigations and without complicated processes. I am very concerned about the massive volume of cocaine being imported from South America. These drugs destroy people’s lives and generate huge profits for organised crime groups. That is why I advocate for stronger action against trafficking in cocaine and other drugs, as well as greater international coordination. We must prevent these quantities of drugs from arriving at our ports. At the same time, we want to help reduce the destruction that drug cartels bring to the countries of origin and transit through violence, corruption and environmental devastation."

Federal Minister Faeser is in South America until 2 March 2024, with political talks in Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. In order to successfully combat illegal drug trafficking from South America to Germany and the rest of Europe, closer cooperation is needed between the countries of origin, transit and destination – on both the political and operational levels. For this reason, Federal Minister Faeser is joined on her tour by Vice-President of the Federal Criminal Police (BKA) Martina Link.

The volume of drugs seized has remained at a very high level at the ports of Antwerp (Belgium) and Rotterdam (the Netherlands), Europe’s main gateways for cocaine. In the Belgian city of Antwerp alone, 116 tonnes of cocaine were seized in 2023. Around 59 tonnes were seized in the Netherlands, and about 35 tonnes in Germany.

Along with Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Italy and Spain, Germany is part of the Coalition of European countries against serious and organised crime. Federal Minister Faeser will host the next ministerial meeting of this coalition in Hamburg on 7 May 2024; port security and the resilience of logistical hubs will play an important role at the meeting.