Eastern African Prosecutors and Police Chiefs Strengthen Cooperation on Cryptocurrency Investigations and Joint Investigation Teams in Nairobi

TCriminal groups increasingly use cryptocurrencies and other digital assets to move and conceal illicit proceeds across borders. These developments pose growing challenges for law enforcement and judicial authorities in Eastern Africa, requiring stronger international cooperation and specialised investigative capabilities.

he EU ACT (European Union Action against Organised Crime and Terrorism) project brought together prosecutors, law enforcement officers and international experts from across Eastern Africa in Nairobi for a week-long workshop on “Cryptocurrencies in International Financial Investigations and Practical Case Analysis of Complex Transnational Financial Investigations using Joint Investigation Teams (JITs)”.

The event, organised in partnership with the Eastern Africa Association of Prosecutors (EAAP) and the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO), aimed to strengthen regional capacities to investigate organised crime, money laundering and other financial crimes increasingly facilitated by digital technologies and cross-border criminal networks.

Training Focus and Contributors

• Experts from the Italian Carabinieri delivered practical training on blockchain technology, cryptocurrency tracing, and digital intelligence for building court-ready cases
• A second programme segment covered JITs in cross-border financial crime, using case-based exercises on information sharing, evidence gathering and judicial cooperation

The workshop also featured contributions from the SIRIUS Project, implemented by Eurojust and Europol, which provided practical insights on obtaining and using electronic evidence in international investigations.

Funded by the European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments and implemented by a consortium led by Spain (FIAP), in partnership with Italy (Carabinieri) and France (Civipol), EU-ACT continues to support stronger regional cooperation against organised crime and terrorism.

The Nairobi gathering reaffirmed the shared commitment of EAAP, EAPCCO and the European Union to enhancing financial investigations, promoting asset recovery and developing coordinated responses to evolving criminal threats across Eastern Africa.