On November 12, 2024, the ASEANAPOL Secretariat, in collaboration with Freeland, held an online meeting to discuss the tentative schedule of activities under the TRIPOD-2 initiative, which focuses on Counter Transnational Organized Crime (CTOC) training to combat wildlife trafficking. The meeting was attended by Executive Director David Martinez Vinluan and a team from the ASEANAPOL Secretariat, including Assistant Commissioner of Police Dr. Bakri Zainal Abidin, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Ngoc (Director for Plans and Programmes), Superintendent Azrul Hisham Mohd Shaffei (Head of Administrative and Technical Staff), DSP Suresh Subramaniam (Plans and Programmes Officer 1), DSP Abdul Hamid Abdul Hashim (Police Services Officer 1), and Assistant Superintendent of Police Nithia Perumal.
The meeting was initiated by Mr. Steven Galster of the Freeland Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, and was also attended by Ms. Prerana Sethiya. Freeland provided updates on the proposed schedule for TRIPOD-2 activities, including finalized dates for events in 2025. The goal of the meeting was to strengthen collaboration between ASEANAPOL and Freeland, aiming to enhance law enforcement’s capacity to tackle the growing issue of wildlife trafficking in Southeast Asia.
Through this partnership, several key activities are planned for 2025, including a CTOC session in Hat Yai, Thailand in November 2024, followed by CTOC training, Special Investigation Group (SIG) meetings, Detego training sessions, and Training for Executives (TFE) across Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. These activities will involve police, other law enforcement agencies, and relevant private sector stakeholders in the fight against wildlife crimes.
The collaboration between the ASEANAPOL Secretariat and Freeland aims to significantly enhance the region’s ability to combat transnational organized crime, with a particular focus on addressing wildlife trafficking.
"Together We Keep This Region Safe"