The Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (MAOC) (or Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre - Narcotics), based in Lisbon, is an international agency set up to coordinate anti-drug trafficking action by several European Union states. The participating states are Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom, Ireland, France, the Netherlands and Italy. The centre has been active since April 1, 2006. The Centre aims to use intelligence on drug smuggling operations, by air or sea, to apply the most suitable military and/or law enforcement teams to respond to situations that arise. Its area of operations is the eastern Atlantic, from the Cape of Good Hope in Southern Africa to the Norwegian Sea. [1]
The United Kingdom has allocated a team of three from its Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA); a SOCA officer serves as the Centre's first Director until October 2009. For the British, this was expected to build on the existing strong relationship between SOCA and the Royal Navy.[1] Ireland's representation is a combined one from the Irish Drugs Joint Task Force of An Garda Síochána (Irish police), the Irish Customs Service and the Irish Naval Service[2]. Personnel from Europol (on behalf of the European Union) and the US Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF) are also present at the Centre to offer liaison and technical expertise.[1]
The costs of the MAOC are shared between the participating states (aggregate 30% of total) and an EC Action Grant which covers the remaining 70% (€661,000[3]). In 2007-8, each state contributed an initial €35,000 followed a year later by a further €5,800 (approx) to cover a shortfall.[4]
About twenty operations were executed in MAOC's first six months, resulting in 10 seizures totalling more than 10 tonnes of cocaine.[1]
In an operation in June, 2007, 840 kilograms of cocaine were seized aboard a Brazilian flagged vessel which was intercepted by the French Navy, acting on UK intelligence. The vessel, drugs and prisoners were returned to Brazil for prosecution.[1]
The Irish Joint Task Force on Drug Interdiction co-operated with MAOC and SOCA in Operation Sea Bight which intercepted a large consignment of cocaine off the Irish coast.[5]
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