History was made with the signing off of the first Joint Investigation Team (JIT) within the European Union.
The team is made up of officers from the UK and Dutch National Crime Squads and will be based in the Netherlands. The team will work under Dutch law with the UK’s NCS officers having the same investigative powers as their Dutch colleagues whilst working in the Netherlands.
The JIT was created in accordance with Article 13 of the Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the Member States of the European Union of May 2000 and under the Council framework decision of June 2002, and is supported by Eurojust and Europol.
What they say
Trevor Pearce, Acting Director General of the UK’s National Crime Squad said: "I see this as an exciting opportunity to further our excellent working relationship with Dutch law enforcement. The JIT will highlight the commitment of investigators and prosecutors in both countries to tackle drugs trafficking and the harm caused by serious organised crime."
Frank Sole, Eastern Operational Commander, whose officers are part of the team added: "We look forward to working hand in hand with the Dutch on an equal operational footing and sharing more efficient working practices. This is the way forward and I am sure that we will use this first JIT to expand our activities with other European law enforcement agencies. Our colleagues at Europol have already signed up to supporting us and providing a number of IT solutions."
