UNODC ANNUAL REPORT 2005

Transcription

1 Latin America and the Caribbean Mexico Barbados Colombia Peru Brazil Bolivia 43

2 UNODC ANNUAL REPORT 2005 Barbados The UNODC Caribbean Regional Office based in Bridgetown, Barbados, covers 29 States and territories. Two-thirds of all cocaine produced and exported in South America passes through the region, 45 per cent of which is bound for the United States of America. Three quarters of the cocaine destined for Europe transits through the Caribbean. The illegal drug trade presents a direct security threat to the Caribbean. There are a significant number of drugrelated homicides in the worst affected countries. In 2005, UNODC's Caribbean Office strongly focused on training programmes for the region's police to help them confront the surge in crime. Law-enforcement Drugs are transported by sea, in small planes and commercial containers, and increasingly by mules" or couriers carrying drugs which cannot be traced to the source. Many traffickers try to evade detection by swallowing drugs. UNODC made a significant contribution to the Caribbean partnership against drug trafficking and abuse and drug-related crime in UNODC's computer-based training for police, customs and immigration officers was pilot-tested in Barbados and Jamaica in 2004/2005. In Barbados, a total of 695 police and customs officers enrolled in the course and 228 completed it. In Jamaica, 595 enrolled and 463 completed their training. Based on the positive results of the pilot-testing in these two countries, the Caribbean Regional Office, with support from the Government of Canada, extended its computer-based training programmes in 2005 to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago. Computer-based training for lawenforcement officers in Barbados Photo: UNODC Barbados Combating organized crime Drug trafficking is generating newer forms of crime involving arms, corruption and money-laundering, extortion, kidnapping, computer-aided crimes, and white-collar and corporate crimes. There was a sharp increase in violent crime in Trinidad and Tobago, much of it due to the country's position as a key transhipment area for narcotics. Nearly 400 murders and more than 200 kidnappings were reported in The Caribbean Regional Office worked to help Trinidad implement international best practices in facing the challenge of kidnappings. UNODC developed a new Counter-Kidnapping Manual and plans were made to train police officers and prosecutors involved in counter-kidnapping efforts from other Caribbean countries, such as Jamaica and Guyana, in early Drug awareness UNODC expanded its Caribbean-wide advocacy against drug abuse. To mark the 2005 International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in June, the Regional Office launched a broad media campaign promoting the Value yourself make healthy choices theme through the Caribbean media. Barbados national television ran a special half-hour documentary featuring events organized by UNODC and presentations by UNODC and other experts. In 2005, the Caribbean Regional Office began production of a television drama alerting young people to the risks of drugs abuse, violence and HIV/AIDS. It was produced under the UNODC Youth at Risk project" in Jamaica and was the result of work carried out with young people in two high-risk communities near the capital, Kingston. It will address the risks of drug trafficking and abuse and their possible consequences such as unwanted early pregnancies, HIV/AIDS, involvement in street gangs and other drug-related crimes. Production went ahead in cooperation with other United Nations agencies. Once completed, the drama will be shown in Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Guyana. 44

3 field offices Bolivia UNODC Bolivia plays an important role in bolstering the drug control initiatives of the Government of Bolivia, the world's third largest coca-producing country. UNODC also assists in the coordination of the National Council to Fight against Drug Trafficking, and thus lends support to a national policy-making tool. UNODC combats illicit drugs and crime with grass-roots development projects, pursues public and private partnerships and involves civil society in public education projects. The Country Office exploits advanced satellite surveillance techniques to support the Bolivian Government's efforts to stem illicit coca production. Lack of knowledge about coca growing and land-use changes in Bolivia have significantly hindered the effective control of crop cultivation. UNODC cooperated with the Bolivian Government on an important project for land-use management and monitoring in Yungas de La Paz and the Cochabamba Tropics. UNODC's Illicit Crop Monitoring Programme has been providing support to the Bolivian Government since 2002, when the first coca survey was published. Since 2004, the data gathered has become the official source of information about coca cultivation and point of reference for the Bolivian Government. Field missions also benefited from the introduction of remote-sensing technology. UNODC undertook an aerial reconnaissance mission of the Cochabamba Tropics using helicopters equipped with camcorders connected to global positioning system (GPS) receivers that tracked 5,500 km of flight lanes during 40 hours of flight, and took more than 5,000 pictures. The taped and referenced images could then be interpreted and buttress data received through satellite imagery. Thus, the 2005 monitoring exercise provided the most complete picture ever of trends in coca cultivation and its uses. Agro-forestry and environmental conservation as sustainable livelihoods UNODC contributes to establishing the basic conditions necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability of coca reduction through alternative development programmes in the Cochabamba Tropics and the Yungas de La Paz region. The biggest UNODC Bolivia project ( ) focused on forest management, agro-forestry and soil conservation activities carried out by farmers, indigenous and women's associations, with the technical support provided by the executing agency, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The Bolivia Office was active in all the regions where coca is cultivated: Yungas de La Paz, the Cochabamba Tropics and Apolo. The project's methodology was based on interpreting highresolution satellite imagery, which was supported by extensive on-site verification. Since coca cultivation takes place in isolated and often dangerous areas, field monitoring was the most challenging part of the job but also the most important for achieving accurate data. Agro-forestry project in Bolivia Photo: UNODC Bolivia The project enabled the production of the second national coca survey report, a comprehensive study that included new data about the prices of coca leaf and its derivatives, and the relationship between coca cultivation and other issues, such as land use, alternative development and poverty. The project also probed coca leaf commercialization at the country level and mapped the sale of coca leaves for legal consumption. The report was presented to the Drug Control Council for planning and decisionmaking on national drug-related issues.

4 UNODC ANNUAL REPORT 2005 The last year of this project was a successful one; in 2005, more than 8,800 families in Cochabamba and 1,200 in the Yungas de La Paz received support from schemes offering them occupations in agro-forestry with good incomes. Similarly, over 177,500 hectares of forest were created in Cochabamba, 31,100 hectares in Yungas de La Paz, and over 2,400 hectares of forest were planted in both regions. The project also contributed to the development of 5,000 new hectares of achiote, cacao, coffee, rubber and camu camu crops. Besides the positive impact of the agro-forestry project, farmers and indigenous groups understand how to manage natural resources. The development of agroforestry systems employed 3,550 peasants with annual average incomes of US$ 2,500 per family, mainly in Cochabamba. Significantly, products showed every sign of commercial viability. This key project yielded US$ 5.5 million in sales in 2005 alone, mainly through the sale of wood. Equally important, producers' cooperatives made qualitative improvements, as attested in a coffee competition following international standards; one-third of the coffee promoted by this programme was selected among the best coffee produced in Bolivia. Vocational training and creation of micro-enterprises In order to support coca eradication, increase employment opportunities and the incomes of young people in Cochabamba, UNODC, together with the International Labour Organisation, offered vocational training and promoted micro-enterprises. The project carried out 150 vocational training courses in 2005, benefiting 2,706 young people, half of them women, in the following areas: carpentry, dressmaking, apprenticeships for electricians and bakers, dairy farming, computer operations, construction and agriculture. In addition, the project supported 50 micro-enterprises involving 500 people and incorporated 107 young people into the labour market. The local government pursued the development of tourism with the support of the project, including the training of personnel. Beekeeping provides an alternative source of income for some former coca farmers Photo: UNODC Bolivia The project increased the competitiveness and productivity of the micro-enterprise sector and helped in developing a business culture. It established a wide network of cooperation with public and private institutions in order to maximize efforts. Its main strategies hinged on creating jobs through market-oriented projects. Drug abuse prevention activities Drug abuse is high in Bolivia. UNODC handled this problem through drug-abuse preventive education and health promotion in schools in 44 municipalities throughout the country. To that end, UNODC developed training and drug-abuse prevention materials for secondary schools, as well as alternative education curricula for those outside the formal school system. These materials benefited approximately 3,500 teachers and 150,000 students in 700 schools, and more than 50,000 parents. Ratification of the Conventions against Transnational Organized Crime and Corruption UNODC Bolivia has long lobbied for the ratification of the two most important legal instruments in the fight against crime and corruption. On 1 June, Bolivia ratified the United Nations Convention against Corruption and on 2 August, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. 46

5 field offices Brazil In 2005, UNODC Brazil and the Government of Brazil continued to work together to confront drug-related violence a sinister and serious threat to national cohesion. UNODC worked with the Government to improve public security by strengthening law-enforcement agencies and contributed to HIV/AIDS prevention programmes. UNODC Brazil's work also extends to Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay, known as the South Cone countries. The Brazilian Government is an important supporter of UNODC, providing 95 per cent of the funds for technical cooperation programmes in the country. UNODC programmes in Brazil also enjoy the support of national and international donors, including the Governments of Italy, Canada, Sweden, the United States of America and the United Kingdom. The partnership between Brazil and UNODC continued to evolve into new areas of activity, such as the prevention of human trafficking, corruption and migrant smuggling. Encouragingly, UNODC also started to develop partnerships with the private sector. Action against HIV/AIDS Brazil is striving towards universal access for its people to HIV/AIDS prevention and care. UNODC supported the Brazilian Government in the development of a comprehensive programme to address the problem, including legislation, policies, standards of care and services to drug users. Injecting drug users are an important factor in the transmission of HIV. In partnership with the Brazilian Government, UNODC established outreach programmes that have reached 30 per cent of all injecting drug users in the country and the programme is set to expand. Drug users received education on the dangers of intravenous drug use and of sharing needles and syringes. Non-injecting drug users were warned about the risks of intravenous drug use. Statistics released in 2005 by the Federal Government confirmed the success of these programmes, which have changed the profile of the AIDS epidemic in Brazil. The incidence of AIDS among injecting drug users has declined by 62 per cent over the last 10 years. Within the injecting population, the number of AIDS cases fell from 27 to 13 per cent among males and from 17 to 4.3 per cent among females. Harnessing technology to combat trafficking and crime Brazil is a major gateway for illegal drugs, especially cocaine, and precursors making their way to international markets. Law-enforcement efforts are hampered by a lack of data, which makes it difficult to form a clear picture of drug-related criminal activity in all its aspects. UNODC helped to fill knowledge gaps by boosting the capacity of national security forces to obtain and process the relevant information. Two major computerized systems operated by law-enforcement agencies were enhanced with UNODC support a precursor control system and an information system on national security. Brazil produces 7 of the 11 precursors placed under international control. The new computerized control system strengthened the Federal Police's capacity to control the diversion of chemical precursors produced or imported by Brazilian companies to countries manufacturing illicit drugs. Funded by the chemical industry, this control system allows effective, online tracking of the import and Precursor chemicals, used to make illegal drugs, seized by police in Brazil Photo: UNODC Brazil/L. Godinho 47

6 UNODC ANNUAL REPORT 2005 export of precursors without creating bureaucratic obstacles for companies. The computerized precursor control system and a website, connected and coordinated by the Federal Police in 54 decentralized units, became fully operational in The system will facilitate the exchange of information between Brazil and its neighbours and help strengthen law-enforcement and international cooperation in South America. UNODC also supported the expansion and modernization of the Ministry of Justice's Integrated National System for Information on Justice and Public Security (INFOSEG). This complex system, which draws on data from information banks run by Federal and state public security authorities, the judiciary and the army, allows online consultations on various subjects. INFOSEG compiles statistics on: 60 different types of crimes committed in Brazil's 224 municipalities with more than 100,000 inhabitants; Victim profiles and criminal records; Firearms and other weapons used at crime scenes; Homicides and their causes; Drug trafficking. More than 30,000 users from 200 Federal and state lawenforcement agencies are registered with INFOSEG. Enhanced data collection is making it easier for police to conduct investigations and the ability to process complex information has greatly improved policy-making aimed at curbing urban violence and crime. Anti-corruption measures In June 2005, UNODC Brazil organized the Global Forum against Corruption IV, an event hosted by the General Comptroller's Office of the Brazilian Government. Some 1,850 experts from 105 countries discussed A drug identification kit used by Brazilian police Photo: UNODC Brazil/L. Godinho issues related to international conventions, moneylaundering, public procurement, e-government, and conflict of interest and anti-corruption policies. Brazil ratified the United Nations Convention against Corruption on that occasion and followed this up by taking steps to set up a broad anti-corruption programme with the assistance of UNODC. Regional cooperation UNODC Brazil works with countries in the region Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay which all face similar security, violence-prevention and firearmscontrol issues. UNODC is working on the design of a regional project against trafficking in firearms to help harmonize legislation and procedures and make them more effective. 48

7 field offices Colombia In 2005, UNODC continued to support the Colombian Government's efforts against illicit drugs and transnational crime. UNODC gathered data on illicit crops, monitored alternative development initiatives, promoted transparency and the rule of law, and raised awareness to prevent drug abuse and crime. Alternative development Experience shows that the fight against drug trafficking cannot be based on the eradication of illicit crops alone. Alternative development initiatives are vital in rural areas where illicit drug cultivation takes place to ensure that farmers have other sources of income. Since 1996, alternative development projects have benefited approximately 8,000 rural families in Colombia. Instead of growing illicit crops, these families now produce coffee, beans, cocoa, meat, milk and heart of palm. Farmers are organized into cooperatives and have contracts with private companies. UNODC supports and monitors several projects across the country. In October, UNODC Colombia opened a honey-packaging plant in the Sierra Nevada region of Santa Marta. The project benefits more than 100 families working to protect the forests, improve the productivity of organic crops and eradicate coca production. The honey is produced by the Ecolsierra Network of farmers' associations, which administers the new plant. Composed of 750 families, the Network's members have been producing 5 tons of honey per year, but are expected to produce 30 tons in The Network produced 100 tons of cocoa in 2005, which is expected to jump to 400 tons in Production of organic coffee totals 1,100 tons, 70 per cent of which is sold with fair trade certificates. The Colombian President's Forest Warden Families Programme, grassroots associations and UNODC projects have supported the Sierra Nevada region of Santa Marta through the eradication of illicit crops and by fostering a legal economy. UNODC promoted the development of the forestry industry on the Pacific coast of Nariño, a region with one of the highest levels of coca cultivation in Colombia. It worked to improve the quality of life of 425 families directly involved in forest management and food security activities. An additional 1,000 families will benefit indirectly through more training and community programmes. This project is run by UNODC through the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, funded by the United States Agency for International Development and coordinated by the Social Action Plan of the President of Colombia. Illicit crop monitoring The integrated monitoring system of illicit crops in Colombia, managed by UNODC and the Government of Colombia, collected information on coca yield, prices, and the social and economic conditions of coca farmers. The data were used to compile the 2005 Coca Cultivation Survey due for release in The system also developed an information databank containing satellite images, aerial photographs and the results of field studies. Inside the cockpit during a crop-monitoring flight Photo: UNODC Colombia 49

8 UNODC ANNUAL REPORT 2005 Drug abuse prevention Two football teams, Los Millonarios of Colombia and Boca Juniors of Argentina, played a friendly match in September to launch an international campaign against drugs and terrorism. The UNODC-sponsored campaign alerted the public to the ways in which drug consumption funds terrorism and costs lives. Some 20,000 fans attended the match, organized by UNODC, the National Narcotics Directorate, the Colombian Institute for Family Welfare and Los Millonarios, while millions watched on television. Follow-up activities included prevention workshops and sports camps for children playing in the Millonarios' junior soccer clubs or receiving help from protection centres run by the Institute for Family Welfare. Human trafficking According to the Government of Colombia, up to 50,000 of its citizens have been forced into prostitution abroad. Men, women and children also suffer other forms of exploitation. A UNODC anti-trafficking project helps the Government to strengthen the criminal justice system and build the local authorities' capacity to prevent, investigate and combat this scourge. Under an agreement with UNODC, RCN television introduced an anti-human trafficking message in its popular soap opera Everyone wants to be with Marilyn. The television series, which attracts an audience of 7 million in This young girl's family is one of hundreds in Colombia which have benefited from agro-forestry projects Colombia, is also being broadcast in other countries. While the main theme of the series was prostitution, which is legal in Colombia, a secondary storyline focused on human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation, a crime punishable with a minimum prison sentence of 13 years. In September, British supermodel Naomi Campbell delivered an anti-trafficking message to the 26 young finalists of a modelling competition run by the Colombia branch of Elite Models agency. UNODC organized training and information sessions for would-be models, who will go on to educate their peers and local communities about the dangers of human trafficking. UNODC and Elite Models agency agreed to continue their cooperation to raise awareness about human trafficking among young women dreaming of international modelling careers and who are at risk of being tricked into going abroad and forced into prostitution. Corruption A scene depicting human trafficking from the Colombian soap opera, Everybody wants to be with Marilyn Photos: UNODC Colombia British model Naomi Campbell speaks out against human trafficking at a news conference in Bogota UNODC set out to strengthen local government institutions after a 2001 study showed that corruption at the municipal level was perceived to be much higher than at the national and departmental levels. It worked with the Presidential Programme against Corruption, the Caldas Civic Corporation, Coruniversitaria and local governing committees. Anti-corruption action plans covering corruption in education, the transport sector, public works and health were tested in the cities of Ibagué, Manizales and Pasto. In addition, workshops were organized for public officials and training was provided to watchdog organizations.

9 field offices Mexico The UNODC Regional Office for Mexico and Central America covers Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. In 2005, UNODC sought closer collaboration with Central American governments to strengthen their counter-crime, anti-corruption and drug-trafficking institutions while reinforcing the administration of justice. This partnership encouraged cooperation between the region's governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Central American countries made progress in the fight against drug trafficking and organized crime. National anti-drug commissions were strengthened, national plans and strategies against drug trafficking were established and the multilateral system of regional coordination was reinforced. Mexico Organized crime Strategically located for the transit of illicit drugs between drug-producing and consumer countries, Central America struggled to staunch the flow of illicit drugs. The region remained vulnerable to the trafficking of chemical precursors, as some countries lack specific laws and systems to control the trade in chemical substances. Those factors conspired to drive up the availability, consumption and production of illegal drugs in Mexico. UNODC and the Mexican Ministry of Health set up the Central American Control Group of Narcotics, Psychotropic and Chemical Precursors. The National Drug System was put into effect at the most important Mexican customs posts. After Mexico, the Central American partners were trained to make use of the System. Central America Juvenile crime Violence remained a serious problem throughout Central America, especially the northern triangle UNODC helps young people to acquire new skills so they can find jobs Photo: UNODC Mexico Mexico was one of the most successful countries in the region in combating drug trafficking, but it faced an uphill battle to curb organized crime. Mexico's institutions are dogged by poor police training, insufficient attention to victims of crime and lax respect for the law. UNODC stepped up its cooperation with the Mexican Government in these areas. As crime in Mexico is overwhelmingly drug-related, UNODC set up a fund with the Mexican authorities, helped by the private sector, to prevent drug abuse and related crime in a comprehensive strategy to strengthen the administration of justice. The first phase was underway in mid-2005 with a study on insecurity in the state of Nuevo Leon, followed by a seminar on strengthening crime prevention. The project was presented to the authorities of the states of Queretaro, Michoacan, Yucatan, Durango, Chihuahua and Guerrero as models for future action. Drug trafficking 51

10 UNODC ANNUAL REPORT 2005 comprising Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. Central America is particularly affected by criminal youth gangs. UNODC implemented a special programme in Honduras to find work for young people at risk and former drug abusers. More than 90 young people were admitted to vocational training courses and received personal attention from a multi-disciplinary team of professionals, who also ensured psychological followup. The aim was to get the young people back into the workforce under the supervision of a municipal social and labour integration office established under the scheme after 12 to 18 months of vocational training. A similar initiative for other countries in the region was under development. Another significant effort was a project to promote drug-abuse prevention and rehabilitation in schools. Twelve primary schools in Costa Rica participated in a pilot project, in which teachers received training from Mexican and Costa Rican experts, and the schools put prevention activities into practice. Teachers, students, Costa Rican and Mexican experts drafted manuals for fourth- to sixth-grade pupils, which will feature in the 2006 programme. In 2006, the number of participating schools will rise in Costa Rica and the programme will expand to other Central American countries. UNODC made progress in 2005 in establishing a treatment, rehabilitation and social reintegration network in Central America. Agreements were signed between UNODC and national partners enabling UNODC to carry out national assessment studies in the six Central American countries. At a second regional workshop on the subject, representatives from governments, treatment centres, local and international experts and UNODC agreed on a regional strategy to reinforce liaison centres. National workshops for the promotion of minimum standards of treatment were carried out in four countries in collaboration with the Organization of American States. Human trafficking and smuggling More than 1 million people cross the border between the United States and Mexico illegally every year, and more than half a million find a way to reach Mexico from Guatemala. UNODC developed a project to bolster national and regional capacities to combat the problem through prevention and better law-enforcement. The project, developed in coordination with the International Organization for Migration and other partners, was aimed at increasing the numbers of traffickers prosecuted and providing assistance and protection to victims. Drug abuse More than 1 million people cross the US/Mexico border illegally every year (picture taken from a UNODC video spot on human trafficking) 52

11 field offices Peru UNODC's Peru Country Office in Lima also covers Ecuador. It works on a number of projects to provide farmers in both countries with alternatives to coca cultivation and help to cut off supplies of the drug to traffickers. Promoting alternative livelihoods accounts for over 80 per cent of UNODC's Andean programme. The high crime rate in Latin America and growing links between drug traffickers and terrorists who coerce farmers into producing coca leaf and drugs pose a major challenge to governments. Peru Curbing drug trafficking UNODC's first Andean Coca Survey in 2005 showed that cocaine production had risen 14 per cent in 2004 from the previous year and was still increasing. Coca cultivation persisted in areas where no alternative development existed. More clandestine laboratories were producing chemical precursors to make drugs. UNODC complemented the prevention of drug consumption with measures to help local authorities tackle street-level drug pushing. In Lima, UNODC worked with 14 municipalities to help a population of 3.5 million people. UNODC carried out community-based drug-abuse prevention programmes and conducted a drug-abuse survey in households and schools. It launched information, education and awareness campaigns against corruption and human trafficking, reaching audiences of millions. The Country Office prepared educational materials to help teachers warn pupils of the dangers of drug abuse and HIV/AIDS. Alternatives to coca cultivation Coca eradication is a first step in controlling illicit drugs but it is insufficient. Farmers need assistance in switching to alternative crops and selling their goods on local and international markets. UNODC helped farmers to find alternatives to the coca economy by offering technical assistance in agricultural technology and access to credit. It encouraged coffee and cocoa Samples of coffee produced by Peruvian farmers under UNODC-supported alternative development projects Photo: UNODC Peru growing, production of palm oil and rubber, beekeeping, livestock rearing and forest management. In provinces with alternative development projects, the total coca crop area has not expanded; indeed crops are being abandoned. Important partnerships with the private sector took place to develop programmes that generate licit economies and reduce poverty in the Andes. UNODC worked directly with more than 6,000 farming families or 30,000 people who had previously been dependent on coca cultivation. Farming enterprises assisted by UNODC sold over US$ 16.5 million worth of coffee, cocoa and palm oil during the first half of 2005 and were on track to match 2004 full-year sales of US$ 36 million. Two hundred cattle ranchers received technical assistance from Blonde d'aquitaine, a French company, to improve the quality of meat and develop a certified and organic meat industry with market potential. UNODC assisted farmers' associations in securing fair trade" or organic" certification for long-term export contracts of cocoa and coffee. The improved quality of the products enabled farmers to expand their sales abroad. Some 600 families were involved in palm oil production in Lower Huallaga. Local governments and entrepreneurs were financing a new oil extraction plant, due for completion in 2006, while UNODC provided technical 53

12 UNODC ANNUAL REPORT 2005 assistance and funds for infrastructure. Three palm heart enterprises supported by UNODC generated a record US$ 850,000 in sales in Families were able to earn around US$ 2,400 per year from palm oil, which compared favourably with their previous income from illicit coca. Strengthening the judicial and legal system To help combat widespread corruption in both Peru and Ecuador, UNODC supported the Governments' efforts to strengthen the judicial system by helping to draft legal instruments and methodologies for judges, district attorneys and police officials. UNODC provided advice to Peru's courts in drug trafficking trials involving foreign criminal gangs and provided training in the form of mock money-laundering trials. UNODC provided direct assistance in corruption cases arising from the misdeeds of the previous Government in Peru and helped establish a dedicated unit to identify and seize the proceeds of crime. Over US$ 20 million in overseas assets were recovered. Poster for a UNODC workshop to train undercover agents, Peru, May 2005 Photo: UNODC Peru UNODC helped to draft laws for witness protection and against human trafficking and migrant smuggling. It made recommendations on how Peru could combat organized crime and corruption by bringing its national law into line with the United Nations conventions. Public awareness campaigns on human trafficking reached over 2 million viewers on television and in cinemas, supermarkets and bus stations. UNODC trained over 1,500 Peruvian judges, prosecutors, national police and financial intelligence analysts in investigation procedures, prosecution and adjudication of money-laundering cases, the efficient handling of requests for mutual legal assistance and extradition. It provided expertise in special investigative techniques, such as the training of undercover agents using electronic surveillance and intelligence software to identify and dismantle organized criminal networks. Ecuador Ecuador, which continued to be exploited by international organized crime networks, adopted moneylaundering legislation in 2005 and ratified the United Nations Convention against Corruption in September. UNODC continued to lobby the Government for legislation to combat the financing of terrorism. The Peru Office was behind an important agreement to establish a joint port control unit aimed at combating drugs and crime in Guayaquil seaport. Ecuador is the site for the Container Control Pilot Programme, a project to prevent traffickers and other organized crime syndicates from using freight containers for drug trafficking and other illicit activities. A landmark agreement signed in June 2005 will enable the creation of a joint customs and police port control unit. Training by the World Customs Organization and Interpol experts began in October. The Programme also facilitates regional cooperation and information sharing, and strengthens capacities for postseizure investigations. 54