Gardaí to strike deal with police in Colombia to tackle drugs gangs

An Garda Síochána and the Colombian National Police will work more closely together to investigate drug trafficking

The new deal follows the establishment of a Garda liaison office in Bogotá and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris's visit this year where he met officials including Colombian defence minister Alberto Lara. File picture: An Garda Síochána

Gardaí are to enter into a co-operation agreement with Colombian police in a bid to crack down on drug gangs.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee is to seek approval from Government in the coming weeks to allow the special arrangement between the two police forces.

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris had asked the Government to enter into an information exchange with officers in South America, but now those discussions have concluded and Ms McEntee is to ask her Cabinet colleagues to give the green light to the special agreement.

It is understood the memorandum of understanding between An Garda Síochána and the Colombian National Police will increase information and intelligence sharing to combat transnational terrorism and organised crime; exchange experience and training; and improve other areas of co-operation.

Colombia is the world’s biggest producer of cocaine and trafficking to Europe from that country, as well as Bolivia and Peru, has increased substantially in the last decade.

The arrangement between gardaí and the Colombian police will intensify efforts to target drug trafficking networks.

Ms McEntee said that the agreement between both police forces is hugely important: 

“Organised crime does not respect international borders, and we have seen An Garda Síochána build law enforcement coalitions to tackle the criminals who spread misery in our communities.

“Ensuring our gardaí have the tools, technology and everything else they need to tackle organised crime is absolutely essential.

That’s why this agreement with the Colombian National Police is hugely important — to ensure our gardaí stay at the forefront of tackling organised crime.”

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris with Brigadier General Wilson Gonzalez, ambassador Fiona Nic Dhonnacha, and General Felipe Gonzalez, Mexico's military attaché to Colombia, during his trip when he met law enforcement agencies in South and Central America. File picture: An Garda Síochána 

Mr Harris visited Colombia earlier this year and met the leader of Colombia’s National Police, the country’s deputy defence minister, and the Mexican military attaché.

Despite the successes that gardaí and international police forces have had against the Kinahan crime group, the organisation still has deep connections with Colombian cartels.

An Garda Síochána has recorded significant success in recent years in tackling organised crime, and building law enforcement coalitions to tackle drug traffickers who operate across continents and borders.

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In 2020, the Government sanctioned a three-year expansion plan of the Garda Liaison Officer Network to increase the global footprint of the force in line with best international practice on combating transnational crime.

It saw two new regional garda liaison posts created in Washington DC in the US and in Bogotá, Colombia, based in the Irish embassies.

The Government has also approved the expansion of the Garda Liaison Officer Network to Bangkok and Abu Dhabi.