The U.S. Departments of State and Justice held a meeting for the "Law Enforcement Coordination Group," focused on combating "Hezbollah's terrorist and financial networks," according to a statement issued by the U.S. State Department. This occurred during the group's eleventh international meeting, which took place on June 22-23 at the EUROPOL headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands. The U.S. State Department reported that participants discussed "how Hezbollah's global terrorist plans have evolved, its financial schemes, and arms purchases since the last Law Enforcement Coordination Group meeting in 2022," in addition to the party's operations in various regions.
The group reviewed recent activities and government measures to disrupt these activities, including oil smuggling networks, the "Qard al-Hassan" foundation, and recent U.S. and international trials of party members. The State Department's statement indicated that the meeting included representatives from over 35 governments across the Middle East, South America, Central America, Europe, Africa, the Indo-Pacific region, and North America, along with "Interpol," "EUROPOL," and the "International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law."
From the U.S. side, attendees included officials from the Department of State, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the National Counterterrorism Center, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. According to the statement, the Law Enforcement Coordination Group is expected to hold its next meeting in 2024.
