International Co-operation
International co-operation with other police forces agencies, and international organisations are essential for successfully dealing with this form of transnational crime.
European Arrest Warrants (EAWs)
Extradition in Ireland is governed by the Extradition Act 1965 as amended and the European Arrest Warrant Act 2003 as amended. Part II of the Extradition Act 1965 applies to non EU countries including the US and the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) Act 2003 governs extradition arrangements with Member States of the EU.
2010 Three applications for EAWs were made to date (July 2010) in 2010 from Italy, Poland, and Romania. The Polish warrant has been endorsed and this person is being sought by the Irish authorities. Further information was sought from the Italian authorities on the application from Italy, but as it was not forthcoming the Court refused the applicant. Endorsement of the application form Romania is yet to be granted with further information having been requested from the Romanian authorities.
2009 One EAW has been received from Germany. The person is being sought by the Irish Authorities.
2008 The Central Authority for Mutual Assistance and Extradition received 2 EAWs for trafficking offences -
1 for Lithuania
1 from Italy
The persons in question were surrendered to the requesting states.
Other Fora
Ireland participates in a number of international cooperative initiatives, as follows:
Ireland is working cooperatively with our UK partners to asses the levels of trafficking and to curb trafficking activity in both countries. For example, Operation Pentameter, primarily a coordinated campaign of police enforcement activity to tackle trafficking into the UK, also involved the participation of the Garda Síochána, which ran enforcement operations in this jurisdiction during the same period. By complementing to work of our UK partners, the whole Common Travel Area became a more hostile environment for those who engage in the sordid business of human trafficking.
Regular meetings are held between the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, the Garda National Immigration Bureau, the Northern Ireland Department of Justice and the Police Service of Northern Ireland to discus issues of common concern in relation to human trafficking.
Ireland has been and will continue to be actively involved in cross-border, transnational trafficking investigations. A joint police trafficking investigation between Ireland and Romania resulted in the prosecution of four (4) people in Romania for trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation.
Ireland actively participated in Operation 'Baghdad', a Eurojust Operation targeted at Iraqi traffickers across Europe. This operation led to over 100 arrests.
The Garda Síochána also arrested a suspected international child trafficker for alleged sexual exploitation; he was subsequently transferred to the Netherlands, where he is currently awaiting trial. The case is due to commence on 20th September, 2010.
Information regarding immigration related criminality is collated, analysed and disseminated by the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB), including such information and intelligence received, on a regular basis, through the Europol and Interpol national Units, based at Garda Headquarters. In particular, personnel from the GNIB assist in investigations relating to the unsuspected trafficking and smuggling of persons, initiated in other jurisdictions, where it is unsuspected either the suspect(s) or victim(s) have entered this State.
Members of the Garda Síochána, in particular personnel attached to the National Support Services attend training courses organised by CEPOL (the European Police college) concerning trafficking in human beings which are targeted at (i) senior police officers who are responsible for prosecution services and/or counter trafficking cases, (ii) members of lecturing staff in police training and development units and (iii) heads of police forces who deal with questions of human trafficking. Ireland attends the Europol Expert meeting on trafficking in human beings which takes place on an annual basis. This meeting allows Member States to share their experiences and provide operational case examples of trafficking in human beings.
Ireland is part of a number of Europol Analytical Work Files which provide both strategic and operational support. In this context a trafficking in human beings bulletin is circulated on a quarterly basis which is disseminated to members of the Garda Síochána. Other support provided to Ireland by Europol includes expert advice, intelligence reports, training and information exchange through the Europol Information System/Europol National Unit. Operational support can include operational analysis of investigations in Member States, coordination of investigations (e.g. organisations of meetings at Europol) and support from other Europol National Units, which in Ireland, is based at Garda Headquarters in Phoenix Park.
G6
Ireland is a member of a European G6 Initiative against Human Trafficking which involves five other European countries (the UK, Poland, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain) supported by Interpol, Europol and Eurojust. The initiative is designed to ensure that these States become a more hostile environment for criminals engaged in the trafficking of human beings. it has four strands of activity:
- an Intelligence Strand led by Europol;
- an Enforcement Strand led by the Netherlands for labour exploitation and the UK for sexual exploitation;
- a Victims Strand led by the UK and Ireland;
- an Awareness Raising Strand led by Ireland.
In its capacity as leader of the Awareness Raising Strand, Ireland hosted an international meeting on 15 January, 2008 in Dublin which dealt, inter alia, with awareness raising campaigns. The meeting documented and discussed the effectiveness of all awareness raising campaigns carried out in participating countries in the previous three years. A shared multinational campaign designed to raise awareness and discourage demand for services of victims of sexual and labour exploitation across all six countries was proposed. A further meeting was held in London on 20 June, 2008. It was agreed that participating countries would engage in an awareness raising campaign in 2008 adopting a common approach modelled on the UK's "Blue Blindfold" concept. While the campaign materials would be of a uniform design and style, they would be amended by each G6 member in terms of language and contest, as appropriate, allowing for a country-specific message across all participating States. The Irish campaign was launched in October 2008.
UNODC Blue Heart Campaign
To rally world public opinion against human trafficking UNODC has launched the Blue Heart Campaign.
The Blue Heart represents the sadness of those who are trafficked while reminding us of the cold-heartedness of those who buy and sell fellow human beings. The use of the blue UN colour also demonstrates the commitment of the United Nations to combating this crime against human dignity.
www.unocd.org/blueheart/
Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings, and protecting victims, repealing Framework Decision 2002/629/JHA
The primary purpose of this Proposal which was published in March, 2009 is to replace a Framework decision on combatting trafficking in human beings agreed in 2002. The new criminal law provisions will bring the 2002 Framework Decision in line with other international instruments and go beyond the provisions in other instruments. The Proposal also contains additional non-legislative measures dealing with victim support, prevention, investigation and, once adopted, will require some legislative amendments in Ireland to implement its provisions in full. It is similar in many respects to the previous draft Framework Decision which lapsed as it had not been adopted prior to the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty.
EU Action Orientated Paper
The EU Council of Ministers endorsed a Strategy for the External Dimension of Justice and Home Affairs (i,e. between the EU and third countries and regions) in December 2005 and called for action oriented papers (AOPs) covering specific priority countries, regions or themes. The AOPs are to include (i) and analysis of the issue and the EU's objectives (ii) a summary of current actions being carried out by both the EU Commission and Member States and (iii) identification of what needs to be done at the political, technical and operational levels in order to meet EU objectives.
The Action Oriented Paper on strengthening the EU external dimension on action against trafficking in human beings 'Towards Global Action against Trafficking in Human Beings' was first published on 29 June, 2009 and agreed by Ministers in December 2009. The AOP aims at providing a series of non-exhaustive key actions to be pursued and promoted to enhance partnerships on sustainable preventative action, to enhance protection, support and rehabilitation of victims and the strengthening of the international law enforcement and judicial response to trafficking in human beings (THB). Measures will include:
- the establishment of a coordinated mechanism at EU level,
- the development of a standardised system on the collection of qualitative and quantitative data on THB,
- the continuation of the work being done on setting up an EU anti-THB portal to facilitate the coordination and exchange of information such as on national anti-THB legislation,
- awareness raising and training activities, and
- the development of a template outlining the actions taken by member States to tackle THB.
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