This archive report was first published on 21 September 2019.
On September 20, 2019, Interpol's Secretary General for East Africa, Jean-François Gadeceu, cautioned the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Co-operation Organisation (EAPCCO) General Assembly in Arusha, Tanzania, that Africa is becoming a prime target for transnational crimes.
According to Gadeceu, criminal enterprises are looking at Africa as a major target, with crimes such as terrorism, money laundering, carjacking, drug and human trafficking, smuggling of weapons, poaching, and piracy on the rise.
He urged police leaders to work closely with Interpol to combat these crimes, saying, 'In the middle of these two opposing scenarios; one made of prosperity, growth and innovation for the greater good and the other made of fear and violence, we urge you the police leaders to work closely with Interpol.'
Gadeceu also highlighted the growing threat of cybercrime, citing a recent attempt by a cybercrime gang to siphon cash from M-Pesa accounts, which the Kenyan Police foiled last December. However, Safaricom admitted that it had already lost Ksh20 million ($200,000) to the criminals.
Interpol has successfully carried out joint operations with EAPCCO member states, including Operation Simba involving Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, which established over 800 hits on genocide, fraud, and drug and human trafficking.
Tanzania's Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa, who officiated the opening ceremony of the EAPCCO forum, echoed Gadeceu's warning, saying that criminals were benefiting from poor co-operation among security organs in the region.
He called on regional police chiefs to work even more closely to stop criminals from gaining ground on transnational organised crimes, citing the need for streamlined laws, improved record-keeping, and a fight against corruption among police officers.
