The growing role of digital tools in combating human trafficking - The Falkor Training for Law Enforcement Agencies

How can Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) effectively combat human trafficking in an era where traffickers leverage digital platforms to operate across borders? Strengthening digital investigation capabilities is crucial to dismantling trafficking networks and improving international and cross-sectoral cooperation.

Within this framework, the ASIT project focuses on equipping LEAs with the necessary technological skills. As part of these efforts, the Falkor Training was recently conducted to enhance digital competencies in tackling organized crime, including human trafficking.

The Falkor Training: Strengthening Competencies for Digital Investigations

On January 20 and 22, 2025, the Falkor Training took place online, providing an intensive learning experience for participants. The training, organized by KEMEA as part of WP5 on improving digital capacities of LEAs, brought together representatives from HP, MoISR, INT, KWP, and MoIBG - organizations that will ultimately implement the training model. Each partner contributed three participants, who will later play a key role in developing practical scenarios and engaging in the spring 2025 exercises foreseen by the project.

Over the course of two days, participants engaged in six hours of daily training focused on digital investigation techniques, data analysis and inter-agency cooperation. These skills are critical for law enforcement agencies, as they enable them to more effectively intercept and dismantle criminal networks that use the Web and new technologies to carry out illicit activities.

During the first day, participants received an introduction to the Falkor system, exploring its practical applications in digital investigations. Following a general overview of the system, a real case was presented, allowing participants to see the software in action and better understand how to use it in their daily work. In the afternoon, a hands-on session was conducted in which participants were able to directly apply the knowledge gained. The day ended with a final exercise, which allowed participants to further consolidate what they had learned during the first day of training.

The second day focused on using the Falkor system for open-source data analysis (OSINT), a key area for digital investigations. After a practical session, participants worked independently, applying the Falkor system to collect and analyze useful information. The day continued with a final training that tested participants' skills, followed by a Q&A session during which the more complex aspects of the program were explored in depth and doubts were clarified.

From Training to Action

By equipping LEAs with advanced digital skills, the ASIT project ensures that they are better prepared to address human trafficking networks that often operate across borders and increasingly rely on digital platforms to execute illicit transactions and commit crimes. The Falkor training will also serve as a foundation for further advancement within the project. Once trained, participants will take part in practical exercises and contribute to the development of new scenarios aimed at improving understanding of the phenomenon. The goal is to enable law enforcement to recognize specific warning signs and act more effectively in the presence of such proxy crimes.

Looking Ahead

As ASIT continues to develop, further training sessions and operational exercises will reinforce the digital capabilities of LEAs. The path charted by the Falkor Training is just the beginning of a broader work that aims to strengthen international collaboration and develop increasingly effective tools to combat human trafficking, with an increasingly centralized and European approach.

About the Project

ASIT - Adequate Support measures and Improved capacities in countering THB is a project funded by the European Union through the Internal Security Fund which aims to address gaps, identify sources and analyze mechanisms of human trafficking, focusing on networks, potential victim profiles and the use of innovative digital tools.

Partners

●???? MoISR – Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic (Coordinator, Slovak Republic)

●???? AMoIBG – Academy of the Ministry of Interior Bulgaria (Bulgaria)

●???? INT – Departament d’Interior – Generalitat de Catalunya (Spain)

●???? HP – Hellenic Police (Greece)

●???? CESIE ETS (Italy)

●???? KEMEA – Center for Security Studies (Greece)

●???? KWP Kraków – Regional Police Headquarters in Kraków (Poland)

For further information

For more details, please refer to the project fiche and follow us on LinkedIn for weekly updates.