Four Maltese police officers are currently assisting in a Frontex operation in the Black Sea off the Romanian coast, the Malta Police Force stated.
The police said that a sergeant and three constables are stationed in Romania from 9 July to 1 October. It said that this is the first time that Maltese officers are taking part in operations at sea outside of Malta, as it added that it is also the first time that Frontex is carrying out this type of operation, where the Malta Police Force has joined forces with officers from Portugal, Italy, Greece, Latvia, and Romania.
It said that during this Frontex operation, Maltese and foreign officers are using a police vessel and patrolling between the ports of Constanta and Mangalia in Romania, which it added are located close to the border with Bulgaria.
During these patrols in the Black Sea, it said that the Maltese officers are, among others, inspecting ships and checking the crews’ documents, then passing on information on ships as requested by the Romanian Coast Guard. It continued that the officers are assisting the Romanian Coast Guard during rescue operations as needed, and added that the officers are also carrying out inspections with the Romanian Fisheries Department.
The Malta Police Force stated that in 2022, it inaugurated two small vessels, or RHIBS, that had been purchased with the help of funds from the European Union. It said that an agreement was signed for a Maltese crew to use the RHIBS and take part in operations led by Frontex in waters outside Malta.
It continued that as part of the daily routine, the border between Romania and Bulgaria is patrolled as a deterrent to illegal trafficking of substances and people, mainly from Turkey.
The Malta Police Force concluded that Maltese officers are also being trained by Frontex on the use of sophisticated equipment such as drones as well as a rescue device that is operated by remote control in order to assist anyone in difficulty without the need for an officer to go into the sea.