The many challenges involved in combating traffi cking in cultural goods

The plundering of cultural property is one of the oldest forms of organized crossborder crime and has become a worldwide phenomenon transcending frontiers. Several initiatives have been devised by international organizations involved in preventing and combating this illegal traffi cking. A programme named ARCHEO has notably been developed by the WCO Regional Intelligence Liaison Offi ce for Western Europe, with a view to enhancing Customs offi cers’ knowledge in this domain, especially those working for enforcement and intelligence services. Its main objective is to help Customs administrations fi ght this fraud at the operational level.