TAKE FIGHT TO TRANSNATIONAL CRIMINAL GROUPS ON GROUND - S'PORE DPM

SINGAPORE, July 26 (Bernama) -- Sharpen the sword and take the fight to the
criminal syndicates on the ground.

This is the 'battle cry' of Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean to
effectively rout the spread of transnational criminal groups.

In the next decade, the challenge for the Asean Senior Officials
Meeting On Transnational Crime (SOMTC) was to move beyond its current parameters
and build shared operational processes and mechanisms, he said in his address at
the opening of the 11th Asean Senior Officials Meeting On Transnational Crime
(SOMTC) here Tuesday.


In other words, he said: "It is time for us to sharpen the sword and take
the fight to the (criminal) syndicates on the ground.

"The close and practical cooperation among Asean law enforcement and
security agencies is a crucial advantage that we have in the fight against
transnational crime.

"This cooperation is not just a matter of choice, "it is a matter of
necessity. Alone, we will not be able to overcome the new problems and
challenges of transnational crime.

"But if we commit to working together, I am confident we will make Asean a
much safer and more secure region," he said.

Sharing his thoughts on how SOMTC's efforts could be given even more focus,
Teo said fundamental to law enforcement efforts was to have a deep understanding
of the operating terrain.

He said each member state had to develop a comprehensive picture of the
drivers and levels of transnational crime in their own countries, based on a
common set of definitions and methodologies.

"In my view, three particular areas should receive priority: drug
trafficking, trafficking in persons, and economic crime."

Teo said, by sharing information on these offences within trusted forums,
"we will be able to develop a good map of drivers and activities within states.

"And over time, we will have a much clearer picture of crime trends across
the entire Asean region," he said, adding that this would, in turn, allow "us to
consider what interventions would be necessary to make a difference on the
ground."

Teo suggested that SOMTC should be prepared to take bold steps, including
the possibility of setting up bi-lateral or multi-lateral joint-investigation
teams to tackle crimes committed across borders.

As a regional block, he said Asean would also have suitable indicators
reflecting the efforts of all SOMTC members, "allowing us to diagnose more
reliably, where our limited resources should be invested".

He said SOMTC should tap on other regional or international enforcement
networks which had expertise in particular areas of interest.
-- BERNAMA