On 7-8 December 2023, the State Revenue Service (SRS), the State Police, and the Tax and Customs Prosecutor's Office held a joint training and exchange of views as part of the international project "Tackling Excise Crime in the Baltic Region".
The project is implemented in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and its purpose is to reduce illegal circulation of excise goods and the excise tax gap in the Baltic region.
Joint training is an important project component, increasing the effectiveness and capabilities of law enforcement agencies in the fight against the shadow economy. Law enforcement cooperation in the Baltic region will notably contribute to restrict the spread of illegal excise goods, including tobacco products in the Baltics and the EU. Therefore, it is essential for the employees to acquire new skills and knowledge and share their best experience.
Representatives from the SRS Tax and Customs Police Department, the SRS National Customs Board, the State Police, and the Tax and Customs Prosecutor's Office participated in the training, whereas the lecturers included both – the high-profile local experts and academics and international speakers form the Estonian Tax and Customs Administration and Europol.
The project is implemented under the Internal Security Fund 2021-2027. The Program managing authority in Latvia is the Ministry of the Interior.
For more information on the project and the Internal Security Fund please visit the SRS website and the website of the Ministry of the Interior.