OPFA-CULT Project

Networking, mentoring and operational meetings for law enforcement

OPerational FAcility for the protection of CULTural heritage

Framework

Illicit trafficking in cultural goods represents an increasingly worrying phenomenon. On the one hand, data from EU LEAs show a steady tendency of EU Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) to utilise trafficking in cultural objects as a relatively low-risk, high-return market (inter alia for money laundering). On the other hand, the instability in several Mediterranean regions increases the threat from the cooperation among EU and foreign OCGs, with illicit trafficking in cultural property becoming an opportunity of income for local organizations as well as a potential bargaining chip for illicit transactions.

What is OPFA CULT?

OPFA CULT is an EU-funded initiative under the internal security fund police (ISF-P). The project is coordinated by Arma dei Carabinieri in partnership with the Romanian Gendarmerie, SAFE Foundation and B&S Europe. Spanning over 24 months from April 2021, OPFA CULT will support EU LEAs in their daily fight against organised property crime – especially transnational investigations for ad-hoc capacity building activities -, prioritising the identification of high-value targets (HVT) and related operational meetings based on the specific needs of LEAs.

What does it aim to achieve?

Strengthen the existing operational network of practitioners and agree on common investigative methodologies
Support ongoing transnational police cooperation and joint investigations through financial support for training, mentoring, identification of high-value targets and operational meetings
Collect lessons learned and best practices developed in a “Handbook for Cultural Property Crime Investigations“

Operational Activities

Workshop on “State of play and existing methodologies”
Workshop on “Financial investigations on illicit trafficking in cultural property”
Workshop on “Joint Investigative Teams and the private sector”

For more information, participation to project activities and modalities as well as eligibility and selection criteria for financial support please refer to info@opfacult.eu